ARLINGTON, Texas — Dallas Wings forward Jessica Shepard made history tonight in the Wings’ assertive 95-87 comeback victory against the Las Vegas Aces, becoming the first player in WNBA history to record a stat line of at least 22 points, 20 rebounds and 10 assists.
Shepard’s triple-double tonight marks her second in just over a week, and the third of her career. However, when asked how she felt after her historic performance, Shepard was more focused on the team’s success than on her own accomplishments.
“For me, these things don’t really matter so much,” Shepard said. “I came here to help this organization win and take that next step. So I’m just proud of this team for being able to come back and beat a team like Las Vegas tonight.”
Jessica Shepard Extends Her Streak Of Steady Production
That mindset has translated into consistent success for Shepard, as she affects the game in every facet, especially on the offensive end. She has been a central piece for Dallas since the season opened, averaging 13.0 points, 11.4 rebounds, and 6.5 assists in 31.9 minutes per game through eight games while shooting 56.8% from the field. She has scored double digits in her past five games, tying her longest career streak of scoring at least 10 points.
Tonight also marked her fifth straight game with a double-double, tying Wings posts Teaira McCowan and Glory Johnson for fourth-longest in franchise history. Two of those double-doubles were triple-doubles, including tonight’s against Las Vegas and an 18-point, 10-rebound, 12-assist effort at Chicago on May 20.
“I’m a very versatile post player who can do a lot of things,” Shepard said. “So I think it’s just every night, figuring out what the team needs, whether that’s scoring, rebounding, passing, whatever it is.”
Rebounding Anchors the Comeback
Shepard is the first player to reach the 20 rebound mark so far this season, and also became just the second Wings player to snag at least 20 rebounds in a regular season game. In Thursday’s matchup, Shepard’s defensive rebounding, combined with her ability to bring the ball up the court and find open teammates, proved particularly lethal.
“It makes things easier because she’s a big that can handle the basketball and get you into things,” coach Jose Fernandez said. “Especially when she gets it off the glass. We kept telling our guys, when Jess gets it off the glass, let’s get a great rim run. Her starting and initiating things was huge.”
A Connective Piece for the Dallas Wings
The part that arguably stands out the most about Shepard’s game, though, is how much of a connective piece she is for the Wings. Whether she’s setting ball screens, pushing the pace in transition or finding open teammates, Shepard is the glue that holds the Wings together and the engine that makes them run.
That attribute was on full display tonight, especially evident through her passing. Time and time again Shepard created easy looks for her teammates, reading the defense and making the right decision almost every time. Her 10 assists may not be quite as eye-catching as her point and rebound totals, but they were just as valuable, and she could’ve easily had more.
“I owe Jess a few (assists) after tonight,” Wings guard Paige Bueckers said. “I smoked some layups. She probably could have had 15 assists.”
While Shepard’s historic stat line tonight further highlights the many ways she impacts winning, she doesn’t seem too concerned with whether those parts of her game receive enough recognition. When asked if there is any part of her game that she feels is underrated:
“No,” Shepard said simply with a smile.
