Alyssa Thomas regains single-season assist record a year after losing it to Caitlin Clark

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UNCASVILLE, Conn. (AP) — Alyssa Thomas had no idea that she was closing in on taking back the WNBA's single-season assist record.

She was just focused on trying to help her team win and improve their playoff positioning.

She topped Caitlin Clark's mark of 337 assists set last season, but Thomas' Mercury came up short against the Connecticut Sun on Saturday, falling 87-84.

“Honestly I didn't know that I was even close,” Thomas said. “I didn't focus on that, but definitely credit to my teammates I can't do it without them. It's been a great change for me this year with a new offense that just allows me to go out there and make the reads that I need to make.”

Thomas needed six assists coming into Saturday's game against Connecticut, where she starred for so many years before leaving for Phoenix this season as a free agent.

“It was my home for 11 years and it was awesome to be able to do it in front of them,” Thomas said. “It all started here so yeah it's cool, a full-circle moment.”

She got the record-breaking one on a 3-pointer by Kathryn Westbeld in the corner with 4:45 left in the second quarter. She finished the game with 10 to give her 342 this season.

“I've been fortunate to be surrounded by so many great 3-point shooters so they make my job easy,” Thomas said. “I hit the open person and the rest is on them to hit the shot. Credit to them they have my back like that.”

Thomas held the record in 2023 with 316 assists when she played for Connecticut. Clark broke it a year later as a rookie. Now the 33-year-old Thomas, who also holds the WNBA record for triple-doubles in a season and career, has it back again. She only needed 37 games to reclaim that mark.

What's most impressive about Thomas' accomplishment is that she's done it from the forward position. Ever since her time with the Sun, Thomas has been a point-forward, facilitating the Mercury's offense. Many of her assists this year have come on 3-pointers with nearly half of them coming on shots from behind the arc.

She's seventh on the league's career assist list with more than 1,800 assists — the only forward in the top 10.

Thomas has averaged a career-best 9.2 assists this season, which is short of Courtney Vandersloot's record of 9.95 set in 2020.

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AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball