Clark came off the bench for head coach Kara Lawson but quickly made her presence felt as Team USA defeated China 94-61 in Berlin on Friday. The Indiana Fever star finished with 14 points, 11 assists and three rebounds in just over 25 minutes of action.
Her performance helped Team USA make a dominant start to its World Cup campaign, with four players reaching double figures in the 33-point victory.
Clark shot 4 of 9 from the field and connected on three of her seven attempts from three-point range. She also delivered one of her trademark long-distance three-pointers, while her playmaking proved particularly difficult for China to contain.
Her 11 assists marked the most ever recorded by a Team USA player in her FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup debut. Clark also became the first Team USA player since 1998 to record at least 11 assists in a game, when Dawn Staley had 12.
The 24-year-old also became the first Team USA player since Teresa Edwards at the 1996 Olympics to record a points and assists double-double. Edwards finished that game with 20 points and 15 assists.
Clark's 11 assists are tied for the sixth-highest total recorded in a single Women's Basketball World Cup game. Julie Allemand and Yuka Harada share the tournament record with 13 assists.
Clark also finished with a plus-minus rating of +30, the highest of any player on either team. Her performance earned her both the TCL Player of the Game award and Team USA Player of the Game honors.
Despite her individual success, Clark focused on her teammates when speaking to reporters after the game. She praised the excitement surrounding women's basketball and said she enjoyed seeing the support for the entire Team USA squad.
Clark explained that one of her main priorities when entering the game was to facilitate for her teammates, attack the paint and create open opportunities.
Team USA will continue its World Cup campaign Sunday against Italy before facing Czechia in the final group-stage game Monday. After her impressive debut, Clark has already made a strong case for an even larger role as the tournament continues.
