“Short Little White Girl”: LV Aces Star Discusses Meeting Her Becky Hammon for the Very First Time

For Alysha Clark, meeting Becky Hammon was a significant moment. Hammon, a six-time WNBA All-Star, was a well-known figure in the women’s league. On August 31, 2011, she became the seventh player to reach 5,000 points in WNBA history. In contrast, Clark was just a rookie. Despite being the 17th overall pick in the 2010 WNBA Draft, she did not make the roster for two seasons. However, when her opportunity finally arrived, it opened up a world of possibilities, with meeting Hammon being one of them.

After playing in the Israeli National League during the offseason, Clark was signed by the Seattle Storm in 2012, two seasons before Hammon retired from playing. In a recent episode of the Las Vegas Aces podcast with Kate Martin, Clark shared, “Well, I never got to play with her because I got cut, but she was my first ever vet.”

Clark’s best encounter with Hammon was on her first day at the gym after the draft. It was 9 AM, and she was at the gym early as rookies usually hit the hardwood before practice. “They were showing me where we would practice, and I just heard this clanking. So, you walk in, the court’s down here, and then upstairs, there’s a walk track and a weight room area, and I heard all these weights,” she added.

Clark thought it was a regular practice day until she saw a “short little white girl.” Completely unaware, she asked her teammates about the girl and was surprised to learn it was Becky Hammon. With a high ponytail and black weightlifting gloves, Hammon seemed like a regular player to her. Her teammates suggested meeting her, and although Clark agreed, the actual meeting with Hammon turned out to be a memorable moment.

Alysha’s Clark on-court relationship with Hammon

As Clark was ready to meet her, the squad rushed upstairs to greet Becky Hammon. At that time, the Aces coach was busy doing pull-ups. “She was like, ‘Hey girl, how you doing? Nice to meet you.’ I was just sitting there like, ‘This is Becky freaking Hammon,’ and I felt like I had interrupted her workout,” Clark recalled about her first meeting with Hammon.

But the real thrill began after this encounter. At the same gym, Clark was supposed to guard the phenom Becky Hammon. “She proceeded to kick my a** in practice,” Clark added. However, the playing experience did wonders for her. Since then, Clark has accumulated various accolades, including three WNBA championship titles.

Finally, after years, the two got to play on the same team, the Las Vegas Aces. Clark plays as a forward, while Becky Hammon has been the head coach for the last two years. Currently, Clark averages 6 points with 3.8 rebounds per game. The question now is: Can Hammon help Clark improve her performance? Stay tuned!

Stay tuned for more updates and catch the exciting second episode of the “Dual Threat Show”. Our host BG12 sits down with Georgia Bulldogs star and Mountain West All-Freshman Team Selection, Asia Avinger.