Photo by: WNBA Instagram
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Las Vegas Aces forward Alysha Clark has been honored as the 2023 Kia WNBA Sixth Player of the Year, the WNBA announced today. This recognition marks her first time earning the prestigious title of the league’s top reserve. To qualify for this award, players needed to have played more games as a reserve than as a starter. Clark secured 35 out of 60 votes from a national panel of sportswriters and broadcasters, solidifying her status as the standout sixth player of the year. Guard-forward DiJonai Carrington of the Connecticut Sun finished second with 13 votes, while guard Dana Evans of the Chicago Sky claimed third place with nine votes. Center Kalani Brown of the Dallas Wings, guard Marine Johannès of the New York Liberty, and guard Sami Whitcomb of the Seattle Storm each received one vote.nn In her 11th WNBA season and her inaugural year with the Aces, Clark demonstrated her versatility by appearing in all 39 of Las Vegas’ regular-season games. Of those appearances, she came off the bench an impressive 38 times and started once. Over the course of the season, Clark averaged 6.7 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.1 assists in just 22.5 minutes per game. Her remarkable three-point shooting accuracy, at 38.6 percent, earned her the 17th spot in the WNBA for this category. Notably, she reached double figures in scoring in 10 games, including a season-high 16-point performance during a 103-77 victory over the Seattle Storm on September 2nd. She also secured five or more rebounds in 11 games.nn Alysha Clark’s contributions were instrumental in the Las Vegas Aces achieving a remarkable 34-6 record and securing the coveted No. 1 seed in the 2023 WNBA Playoffs presented by Google. The Aces have advanced to the WNBA Semifinals and are poised to host the winner of the series between the Dallas Wings and the Atlanta Dream, with the series commencing on Sunday, September 24th (5 p.m. ET, ESPN2).nn The Aces closed out the regular season with an impressive record, claiming the most victories and the fifth-best winning percentage (.850) in WNBA history. Furthermore, they set a new standard with the highest offensive rating (113.0) and a record-breaking 11 games in which they scored 100 points or more. Alysha Clark now joins an elite group of players as the third member of the Aces to receive the Kia WNBA Sixth Player of the Year Award, following in the footsteps of Kelsey Plum (2021) and Dearica Hamby (2020 and 2019). As part of her recognition, Clark will receive $5,150 and undoubtedly bask in the glory of her well-deserved achievement.nn
