LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Las Vegas Aces Forward Alysha Clark is an American-Israeli player who has won three WNBA championship titles. She won her first title in 2018 and then in 2020 with the Seattle Storm, one of which was against the Las Vegas Aces.
She spoke to KTNV after winning the WNBA championship title, her first with the Aces' but back-to-back titles for the team overall. She says the team is special because of their chemistry.
MORE: Las Vegas Aces' Alysha Clark named 2023 WNBA Sixth Player of the Year
Read the full transcript between KTNV's sports reporter Tina Nguyen and Las Vegas Aces' Forward Alysha Clark:
TINA NGUYEN: What does it mean to be a three-time WNBA champion?
CLARK: It's crazy. It's crazy. As a player in this league who's had to work and grind for everything, I've gotten to be in this space where I'm a three-time champion. Not many players have that, and the greats of the greats have it. And to be in that conversation, to be in that space, it's a blessing. I think I couldn't have done it any better.
NGUYEN: You've been a part of so many great WNBA teams, so what made this year and this group so special?
CLARK: People don't understand things like the off-the-court chemistry. I love my 2018 and 2020 teams. We love spending time with each other. This was very similar in that sense. So, I always drew back to that. These are young players in their prime who love and have fun with the game, which was something different for me. And so to be a part of this in a group in this space, it's so special. I can't put it into words how I feel. It's so surreal.
NGUYEN: What does winning this with the Las Vegas Aces mean? I know we were talking that you do have Las Vegas ties.
CLARK: I do. I grew up here. I went to elementary school here. We lived here and grew up here. It's kind of like a full-circle moment in a lot of ways. And for me, to be with this group, like they're a fantastic group of humans, like outside of their accolades, like, obviously, they're amazing athletes, but they're such phenomenal human beings. I love spending my free time with them. I love being able to get to know them on a personal level and like the time that we spend together. Oh, it's so special. I can't even describe how we've had to grind it out this year. All the tribulations we've gone through and stayed professional and just honestly — shut up and show up. That's what we've done this year. We've shut up, and we've shown up.
NGUYEN: What does it mean to be a three-time WNBA champion?
CLARK: It's so wild. As for me, my career went from being cut the first two years, not even being on a team, to being the last player on the roster. Just showing up and becoming a starter and a defensive leader in this space. I couldn't have dreamt it any better. And my dad loved watching me play basketball. And, like, losing him was, like, losing my biggest fan. And this, like this entire season, I dedicated to him to have my sister here, like having my family focused on me after the game, like they knew how hard it was for me this year to show up. But I like to show up with a group that supports and encourages me. I say my pregame prayer. And in my pre-game prayer, it's like, 'Pops, I hope I make you proud today.' He loved watching me play basketball. That was one of his favorite things. And so I was like, 'Make sure you show up daily' and to make him proud. And that was my only focus this year — all the other things outside it. Just make your dad proud. It makes my heart proud. And that's what I did today.
