For Alysha Clark, meeting Becky Hammon was a huge deal. As a six-time WNBA All-Star, Hammon was already a well-established name in the women’s league. On August 31, 2011, she became the seventh player to record 5,000 points in WNBA history. Clark, on the other hand, was a mere rookie. Despite being drafted as the 17th overall pick in the 2010 WNBA Draft, she remained off the roster for two seasons. Although it was a bit late when her opportunity finally came, it offered immense possibilities, and meeting Hammon was one of them.

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

For Clark, the best encounter with Hammon was 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 believed it was just a regular practice day at the gym until she saw a “short little white girl.” Completely unaware, Clark asked her teammates about the girl and was surprised to learn it was Becky Hammon. With a high ponytail and black weightlifting gloves, Hammon appeared like a normal player to her. While Clark was still observing, her teammates asked, “She’s up there, do you want to go meet her?” It was a yes from Clark’s side, but when she actually met Hammon face-to-face, it became 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. While Clark is a forward for the team, Becky Hammon has been leading the team as head coach for the last two years. As of now, Clark is averaging 6 points with 3.8 rebounds per game. Now the question is: Will Hammon be able to help Clark build on her performance? Stay tuned to find out!

Stay tuned for more such updates. And join us for 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.