Jessica Shepard makes WNBA history with feat no player has reached faster originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Jessica Shepard needed less than a full season with the Dallas Wings to accomplish something no player in WNBA history has ever done faster. The veteran forward recorded her third assist during Wednesday night’s game against the Atlanta Dream, giving her at least 300 points, 300 rebounds and 150 assists through her first 28 appearances of the 2026 season.
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According to ESPN Insights, Shepard reached all three marks faster than any player in league history.
“With her third assist on Wednesday, Jessica Shepard became the fastest player in WNBA history to record 300 points, 300 rebounds and 150 assists in a single season,” ESPN Insights wrote on X.
It was another remarkable milestone in a season that has completely changed the way Shepard is viewed around the league.
Shepard has always been an efficient scorer and dependable rebounder, but her expanded role with Dallas has revealed a level of playmaking that few frontcourt players can match. The 6-foot-4 forward entered Wednesday averaging 14.9 points, 12.0 rebounds and 5.4 assists while shooting 59.7 percent from the field.
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She reached the historic mark by finding Paige Bueckers for a layup midway through the second quarter.
Jessica Shepard continues historic first season with Wings
Shepard joined Dallas after spending the first five seasons of her WNBA career with the Minnesota Lynx.
The former Notre Dame star had never averaged more than 8.2 points or 7.4 rebounds in a season before arriving in Dallas. She has nearly doubled her previous career-high scoring average while also emerging as one of the most productive rebounders and passing bigs in basketball.
Shepard’s breakout has included four triple-doubles, already a Wings single-season record. Her latest came immediately before the WNBA All-Star break, when she finished with 18 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists in a 101-97 victory over the Portland Fire. That performance gave Shepard five career triple-doubles and moved her into rare territory on the league’s all-time list.
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She also earned the first WNBA All-Star selection of her career and was voted into the starting lineup. Shepard recorded seven points, five rebounds and five assists in only 18 minutes during the All-Star Game. Her ability to control games without dominating the ball has made her a perfect fit alongside Bueckers, Arike Ogunbowale and Azzi Fudd.
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Shepard helps transform Dallas into contender
Shepard’s individual success has come during an impressive turnaround for the Wings. Dallas entered Wednesday with an 18-9 record after winning seven of its final eight games before the All-Star break. The Wings sat fourth in the Western Conference and only four games behind the first-place Minnesota Lynx.
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That represents a dramatic change from 2025, when Dallas finished with the worst record in the WNBA. Bueckers’ development following her Rookie of the Year season has played a major role in the turnaround, but Shepard has been just as important. She gives Dallas another reliable scorer, dominates the glass and frequently initiates offense from the high post.
Shepard was once again filling every column of the box score against Atlanta, recording 12 points, seven rebounds, four assists and one steal through the first three quarters as Dallas built a double-digit lead. The Wings still have plenty they hope to accomplish this season. Shepard, however, has already secured her place in WNBA history after only 28 games.
