Las Vegas Aces forward Alysha Clark said she knows how her late father would have reacted upon hearing she was named the WNBA’s Sixth Player of the Year.
“He would be beaming with pride right now,” said Clark, who was announced as the winner Monday. “That’s the part that was hard after finding out: I just wanted to pick up the phone and call him, ‘We finally got one.’ He would be so happy, because he’s seen my journey through this league, he’s constantly been in my ear telling me how valuable I am.”
Duane Clark died in September 2022 at age 73. A year later, Alysha is in the semifinals with the top-seeded Aces and won her first individual league award in her 11th season in the WNBA. Clark played 39 regular-season games this season — coming off the bench for 38 — and averaged 6.7 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.1 assists.
Clark got 35 of 60 votes from a national media panel. Connecticut Sun guard/forward DiJonai Carrington was second with 13 votes, and Chicago Sky guard Dana Evans was third with nine. Dallas Wings center Kalani Brown, New York Liberty…
