Record breaking Kelly Wilson commits to 22nd WNBL season
29 August 2024 | Bendigo Spirit news
Record-breaking veteran Kelly Wilson is back for yet another WNBL campaign at Bendigo.
The 40-year-old point guard has committed for a 22nd season in the WNBL in a massive boost for the Spirit’s hopes of returning to finals after falling agonisingly short last summer.
Wilson broke the competition’s games record back in 2020 and reached another milestone last season when she became the first player to hit the 450-game mark.
The evergreen guard is showing no signs of slowing down, judging by her recent performances for Bendigo Braves in the NBL1 National Finals.
Wilson was named in the All-Star Five after a dominant weekend on the Sunshine Coast which included a triple-double against Rockingham Flames, helping her team reach the championship game against Waverley Falcons.
Spirit Head Coach Kennedy Kereama is thrilled that Wilson chose to extend her career in Bendigo.
““I am really excited to have Kelly back for a third consecutive season. Kelly is not only a very talented player, she is very experienced and is effectively an on court coach. Kelly possesses an exceptional ability to run a team. She has an incredibly high basketball I.Q and excels in putting her teammates in positions to succeed on court. Her ability to read teammates, the game and her attention to the small details is exceptional.”
“In my time working with Kelly in the WNBL she has always set very high standards on the court, in the gym, in the locker room and demonstrates an exceptional work ethic consistently.”
Spirit General Manager Daniel Jackson spoke of the importance of Wilson to the Bendigo community.
“Kelly is someone who is a crucial piece of our squad, not only for what she brings on the court, but her standing within the Bendigo community. Any time you walk into Red Energy Arena, you’re likely to see Kelly working on her game, either by herself or with others in the basketball community.
She’s extremely popular and probably doesn’t realise the impact she has had, and will continue to have, on young women and girls around Bendigo.
I’m thrilled that she has decided to continue her playing career with the Spirit.”
Kelly is excited about the team so far and hopes the Spirit can improve on last year’s results.
“I am excited and grateful to be able to play another season with the Spirit. I look forward to the challenge of helping the Spirit improve on last year’s results and become a finals contender in the 2024/2025 season.”