THE WEEK THAT WAS – 6
WELCOME CANADA
Two-time WNBA champion Jordin Canada is Melbourne bound.
In one of the biggest import signings in recent years, the dual Seattle Storm champion (2018, 2020) joins a Boomers roster bursting with talent including Opals medallists Kristy Wallace, Sara Blicavs and Keely Froling.
The 27-year-old guard, an All-Defensive First Team selection in 2019, is averaging 12.6 points, 5.6 assists and 2.9 rebounds in the current WNBA season for the Los Angeles Sparks.
Meanwhile, two Canadians will make their WNBL debuts in #WNBL24.
Townsville has signed Cassandra Brown who is currently averaging 19.9 points and 8.1 rebounds in her second NBL1 South season with Mount Gambier.
And the Perth Lynx have added some significant size following the departure of Lauren Scherf with 196cm centre Emily Potter.
The 27-year-old made her national team debut this month where Canada claimed bronze at the FIBA AmeriCup
ADELAIDE’S NEW FLAME
She made an immediate impact winning the Sydney Flames MVP last season and now Jocelyn Willoughby will return to Australia for #WNBL24 with Nat Hurst’s Adelaide Lightning.
Willougby, who averaged 15.1 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.1 assists for the Flames, is currently playing for New York Liberty in the WNBA.
PERTH TO SWEDEN
Perth Lynx duo Robbi Ryan and Tayah Burrows will not play in the WNBL next season with both guards inking professional contracts in Europe.
Ryan, who made her WNBL debut last season after eye catching form in NBL1 West, will play for Lulea Basket while Burrows joins Ostersund Basket after three seasons with the Lynx.
SPIRITED RE-SIGNING
Ally Wilson will again suit up for Bendigo Spirit next season.
The Commonwealth Games 3×3 bronze medallist hasn’t played finals for several years and wants to be part of Bendigo’s return to post-season action.
“We want to play finals basketball and I think that’s always the goal. That’s where you want to be at the end of the season,” she said.
“I think adding a few of those extra pieces this year will help us get there.
“Over my last three or four seasons I haven’t been in a team that’s played finals either, so I’m definitely wanting to get back in into that at the business end.”
MAGIC MILESTONES
Two Opals notched up contrasting milestones on different sides of the world this week.
Bec Allen scored her 1000th WNBA career point in Connecticut Sun’s 84-72 over Alanna Smith’s Chicago Sky.
While in South Australia, FIBA World Cup All-Star Steph Talbot shared vision of her back on court, making progress in her rehabilitation from an ACL injury she suffered while playing for Adelaide in February.
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IT’S A DATE
The Cygnett WNBL fixture dropped this week with the 84-game instalment of the league’s 44th season tipping off on November 1.
The season will feature 16 regular rounds before best-of-three Semi and Grand Final Series which start on February 28.