Mystics' Clark to miss season with foot injury

For the second straight year, Washington Mystics fans will have to wait to see their big offseason acquisition take the floor.

Veteran forward Alysha Clark will miss the 2021 WNBA season after injuring her right foot while playing overseas, the Mystics announced Monday.

"There aren't any simple words to express how badly we feel for Alysha," head coach and general manager Mike Thibault said in a statement. "She was very excited to get started with us this season and now will have to wait a year. Obviously, she was a big piece of our offseason planning and will be sorely missed."

Thibault added that the 33-year-old will play a hands-on role with the team in 2021 as a mentor to the younger Mystics players.

Clark signed with Washington in February after a nine-year run with the Seattle Storm, with whom she captured titles in 2018 and 2020. She was named to the All-Defensive second team in 2019 and the first team in 2020.

The Mystics faced a similar situation last year after the team traded for seven-time All-Star center Tina Charles. She sat out the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign after receiving a medical exemption.