‘She’s Been There, She’s Experienced’: Alysha Clark’s Championship Pedigree Shows Up For Dallas Wings In Montreal

MONTREAL — Alysha Clark scored a season-high 10 points off the bench in the Dallas Wings‘ 108-95 win over the Toronto Tempo on Friday, all of them in a fourth quarter Dallas won 24-10 to erase a one-point deficit. Clark went 4-of-4 from the field, including 2-of-2 from 3-point range, and Wings coach Jose Fernandez said afterward that her impact went well beyond the shooting line.

“I think the X-factor was Alysha Clark coming off the bench,” Fernandez said. “She defended their four really, really well and hit two big threes during that stretch. Credit to her for staying ready. We needed something a little different defensively because their four was stretching the floor and making shots.”

A Résumé Built On Big Moments

Clark is in her first season in Dallas on a one-year deal after a career that includes three WNBA championships, two with the Seattle Storm in 2018 and 2020 and a third with the Las Vegas Aces in 2023, when she was also named the league’s Sixth Player of the Year. She has twice been named to the WNBA All-Defensive Team.

That track record is part of why Fernandez trusts her in games she doesn’t play a major role in, he said.

“She does a great job in practice, in film sessions, and in shootaround because she’s been there. She’s experienced,” Fernandez said. “We needed her tonight, and she came through.”

Friday’s standout performance was timely. Clark is averaging 2.3 points in 9.3 minutes across 15 games this season without a start, meaning her fourth quarter alone in Montreal outscored her typical full night by a wide margin.

Staying Ready, Regardless Of Role

Clark’s own minutes have fluctuated through her time in Dallas, and she said staying ready regardless of role is not a new adjustment.

“Just being a professional. You always have to be ready,” Clark said. “I’ve been through this earlier in my career, so it’s about staying ready and trusting the work. I know what I’ve put in up to this point. That’s what I’ve been doing, so it’s just making sure I stay confident and ready. Nothing special.”

Finding Chemistry With Shepard

Clark has also drawn minutes at small forward alongside Jessica Shepard this season, a look she said suits both of them.

“It gives us a lot more versatility. It spreads the floor and allows us to do a lot of different things defensively while also manipulating the offense on the other end,” Clark said. “Jess is an amazing facilitator at that position. When she has people around her who can move and play freely, I think that’s when we’re at our best. It’s just about playing off each other.”

Up Next

Dallas hosts the Chicago Sky at American Airlines Center on Sunday.