Alysha Clark Bio
Alysha Angelica Clark (born July 7, 1987) is an American-Israeli professional basketball player for the Washington Mystics of the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA). A versatile forward listed at 180 cm and 76 kg, she is known for her swarming defense, rebounding, and clutch shooting. Across more than a decade in the WNBA, she has built a résumé that includes three league championships and a Sixth Player of the Year award.
Clark was born in Denver, Colorado, later moved to Mount Juliet, Tennessee, and gained dual nationality after years of professional play in Israel. She currently suits up for the Washington Mystics after being traded from the Seattle Storm in August 2025.
Early Life and Background
Alysha Angelica Clark was born in Denver, Colorado on July 7, 1987, to Jan and Duane Clark, both of whom were musicians. She is the younger sister of American Idol contestant Corey Clark. Her maternal grandparents were Jewish and could speak Hebrew, and although Clark was baptized as a child and identified as a Christian while growing up, she later explored her Jewish roots after starting her professional career in Israel and became an Israeli citizen.
The family later settled in Mount Juliet, Tennessee, where Clark attended Mount Juliet High School. She starred on the basketball team and, as a senior, averaged 24 points and 11.6 rebounds while shooting 67 percent from the floor and 78 percent from the foul line. Her high school honors included Tennessee Gatorade Player of the Year, 3A Miss Basketball, AAU All-American, and selection to the Tennessee All-Star Team.
Path to Basketball
Clark began her collegiate career at Belmont University in Nashville, where she played two seasons for the Lady Bruins. As a freshman, she led the Atlantic Sun Conference in total points, field goals, and free throws, and was named ASUN Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year. In her second season, she was again named Atlantic Sun Player of the Year and Tournament Most Valuable Player, helping Belmont reach its first NCAA tournament appearance in 2007.
After two years, she transferred to Middle Tennessee State University. She sat out the 2007–08 season per NCAA transfer rules, then dominated the Sun Belt Conference, leading the NCAA in scoring with 27.3 points per game in 2008–09 and 28.3 points per game in 2009–10. She became the first basketball player ever named Player of the Year in two different Division I conferences and was inducted into the Middle Tennessee Hall of Fame in 2020.
Alysha Clark Career
Early Career (2010–2012)
Clark was selected with the 17th overall pick in the second round of the 2010 WNBA draft by the San Antonio Silver Stars, but did not make a WNBA roster in 2010 or 2011. During those years, she played overseas in Israel, joining Ramat HaSharon of the Israeli National League from 2010 to 2013, where she was named Domestic Player of the Year and an All-Israeli First Team selection in her first year.
In 2012, she signed with the Seattle Storm, beginning a long tenure with the franchise. She continued to play in Israel, Turkey, Poland, and France during the WNBA off-season, building an international résumé that would later include league championships in Poland and France.
Seattle Storm Breakthrough (2012–2020)
Clark developed into a key reserve and defensive stopper for the Seattle Storm, where she played her first nine WNBA seasons. She was named to the All-Defensive Second Team in 2019 and earned All-Defensive First Team honors in 2020. Her defensive assignments often included guarding the opposing team’s most dangerous perimeter scorer.
In 2018, Clark started every game of the Storm’s WNBA Championship run. In the Western Conference Finals against the Phoenix Mercury, she was the Storm’s primary defender on Diana Taurasi and recorded a double-double of 13 points and 13 rebounds in the decisive Game 5. In the WNBA Finals sweep of the Washington Mystics, she led Seattle in playing time and added 15 points in the title-clinching game.
Clark won her second WNBA championship in 2020, when the Storm again swept the Finals, this time against the Las Vegas Aces. Her combination of perimeter defense, rebounding, and timely three-point shooting made her a foundational piece of the Storm’s dynasty.
Las Vegas Aces Era (2023–2024)
After time with the Washington Mystics in 2021 and the Israeli club Elitzur Ramla in 2022–23, Clark signed with the Las Vegas Aces in February 2023. She won her third WNBA championship that season as the Aces captured the title, and on September 18, 2023, she was named WNBA Sixth Player of the Year in recognition of her impact off the bench.
Clark spent the 2024 season with the Aces as well, continuing her role as a defensive specialist and veteran leader. Her championship experience and perimeter defense remained central to her value with the Las Vegas organization.
Return to Seattle and Trade to Washington (2025–Present)
On February 9, 2025, Clark signed with the Seattle Storm, the franchise where she had spent the first nine years of her WNBA career. The reunion was brief, however, as on August 5, 2025, she was traded back to the Washington Mystics. Washington acquired Clark and Seattle’s 2026 first-round draft pick in exchange for Brittney Sykes, bringing her defensive presence and veteran leadership to the Mystics roster for the stretch run of the 2025 season.
Driving Style and Strengths
Clark is best known for her swarming, aggressive perimeter defense and her ability to guard multiple positions, including wings and point forwards. She is a high-energy rebounder for her size, an underrated passer, and a reliable catch-and-shoot three-point threat who tends to deliver her best performances in the biggest moments, earning her reputation as a clutch shooter throughout her career.
Notable Events and Milestones
Clark’s signature moment came during the 2018 WNBA Finals, when she started every game of the Storm’s championship run and posted a 15-point performance in the title-clinching win over the Washington Mystics. She is a three-time WNBA champion (2018, 2020, 2023), a WNBA Sixth Player of the Year (2023), and the first player ever named Conference Player of the Year in two different Division I conferences during her college career.
Alysha Clark Career Wins
Alysha Clark has won three WNBA championships during her career, spanning three different franchises. She has also captured league championships overseas in Poland and France, along with numerous individual honors at the conference, league, and national levels.
WNBA Highlights
Clark’s first WNBA title came in 2018 with the Seattle Storm, who swept the Washington Mystics in the Finals. She added a second ring in 2020 when the Storm swept the Las Vegas Aces, and her third championship came in 2023 with the Las Vegas Aces. In 2023, she also earned WNBA Sixth Player of the Year honors.
Other Wins and Performances
In 2018, Clark led CCC Polkowice to a Polish league championship and was named the league’s Most Valuable Player. The following year, she won a Ligue Féminine de Basketball championship in France with ASVEL Lyon. She has also won individual awards in Israel, including Domestic Player of the Year with Ramat HaSharon and Player of the Year with Maccabi Ashdod.
Alysha Clark Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Clark was born to Jan and Duane Clark, both musicians, and raised in Mount Juliet, Tennessee. She is the younger sister of singer and American Idol contestant Corey Clark. Her maternal grandparents were Jewish and could speak Hebrew, a heritage that later connected her to Israeli basketball and citizenship.
Personal Life
Clark holds dual American and Israeli citizenship, the result of her professional experience in Israel and her maternal family heritage. Beyond her basketball career, she joined the WNBA Changemakers Collective in February 2024 as a mentor in partnership with VOICEINSPORT, a program aimed at keeping girls in sport and developing diverse leaders on and off the court.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 WNBA season began with Clark’s signing back with the Seattle Storm on February 9, returning to the franchise where she had spent her first nine league seasons. Her veteran presence and defensive versatility were central to Seattle’s plans as the team sought to remain a contender in the Western Conference.
On August 5, 2025, Clark was traded to the Washington Mystics, who sent Brittney Sykes and a 2026 first-round draft pick to Seattle in exchange. The move added a three-time champion and proven perimeter defender to the Mystics roster for the final stretch of the regular season and any postseason play.
For the Mystics, Clark’s arrival brought leadership, championship experience, and elite defense during a critical portion of the season. Her ability to guard multiple positions, rebound at a high level, and knock down clutch three-pointers gave Washington a proven boost as the team pushed for a playoff berth in 2025.