By Marcus Uhe
Two basketballers from Melbourne’s South East were part of the latest intake of talent to the Women’s National Basketball League (WNBA) in the United States last week, selected in the 2024 WNBA Draft.
Former Berwick College student Jaz Shelley had her name called by the Phoenix Mercury at pick 29, while Southside Flyers champion in the Women’s National Basketball League (WNBL), Nyadiew Puoch was the final pick of the first round, taken by the Atlanta Dream at pick 12.
South Australian Isobel Borlase was also drafted by Atlanta, at pick 20, making it a trio of Australians entering the league from the 36 available selections.
Shelley’s selection was a long time coming, having spent five years playing College Basketball in the United States after winning the WNBL Rookie of the Year award back in 2018 as a member of the Melbourne Boomers.
Basketball Academy Director at Berwick College, Chris Pentland, began observing Shelley when she first arrived at the school and identified early that she was a player of promise.
“She’s a great leader, great learner, the type of kid that you pinch yourself that you get to work with because they almost take everything you offer them and do extra,” Pentland said.
“It’s one of the things that we talk about with the kids that, you can have the talent, but a lot of it’s on themselves and she does the extras, she did all that; showed leadership, she was on time to training, prepared, ready, looks for advice, takes advice, works out what’s best for her.
“She was always extremely single-minded, knew where she wanted to go and did everything to get there.
“She had an amazing feel for the game, an extremely high IQ, obviously an amazing athlete, but she had a passion for the game.”
The 6’3” point guard who was drafted from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Cornhuskers led her team in assists per game in the 2023/24 season (5.7) with her crowning moment coming in the semi final of the Big-Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament in March, when her season-high 30 points and nine assists helped her side advance to the final, returning the school’s basketball program to the spotlight after a lean period.
Her name will go down in folklore at the University after setting Huskers’ tournament records for points, assists and made threes in the 2024 Big-Ten Tournament, and finishing her career fourth in the school’s history for made three-point shots.
At the Mercury she’ll be one of three Australian guards, with Amy Atwell and Rebecca Allen already in Arizona as friendly faces.
While one of the most decorated players in the history of the WNBA and the league’s all-time leading scorer, Diana Taurasi, will provide Shelley with the opportunity to learn from one of the sport’s biggest names as a teammate.
“Diana I think will probably be one that Jaz will hang her shoes closest to and learn heaps from,” Pentland said.
“That‘s her asset, she was always coachable and willing to listen and will do all the extras they wanted her to, to make sure she can fulfill and do well at the next level.
“Anytime you go to that next level it’s pretty cut-throat, but she will give herself every opportunity I’m sure.”
Shelley remains involved with the school as a External Basketball Academy Coaching Staff member, having contributed her knowledge and resources to current students during her trips home between semesters as a university student.
While her opportunities to mentor the school’s next generation will dwindle in the coming years as her professional commitments take hold, she’ll be influencing from afar as a role model, and an example of what the students can achieve.
“They get to know her and fall in love with her, a lot of the girls,” Pentland said.
“She’s been amazing in that role.
“We’ve been lucky at the school, we’ve had two get drafted to the WNBA and both have stayed involved in our program.
“(The students) have been able to see two girls go across to the WNBA and see that it is a possibility, if you want to work hard enough and have the dedication and talent to do it.
“It was extremely exciting for the school, but not only the school, the whole community including her family.
“It’s a big group of people that invest in a talented kid like Jaz and then to see her reach those goals was amazing.”
Pouch, meanwhile, was one of 15 prospects invited to New York to attend the draft last week, where her name was called with the final pick of the first round by the Atlanta Dream.
It capped a whirlwind few days for the forward, who played for Dandenong Rangers in the NBL1 South Women’s competition in Hobart on Friday night.
Pouch averaged 21.6 points and 8.6 rebounds for the Rangers during her 21 games at the club before being drafted, and was a member of the Southside Flyers’ championship winning side in the 2023/24 WNBL competition.
Despite not taking the traditional path of playing College Basketball in the United States, where the majority of draft selections hone their craft, Pouch’s exploits in Australia were enough to see the 19-year-old selected as one of the draft pool’s premium talents.
At 6’3” (190cm) she has an excellent combination of length and speed that can see her play multiple positions on the floor, and with the Flyers she was up close and personal with one of Australia’s greatest ever players in Lauren Jackson.
Rangers coach Larissa Anderson said the club and the Dandenong Basketball Association is “beyond proud” of not only Puoch’s accomplishment, but of her as a person, and player.
The precociously talented teenager played her entire junior basketball career at Dandenong, outside of a brief period at the Basketball Australia Centre of Excellence, and returned to her home club to play in the NBL1 South.
“It is such a huge achievement, one of many that I’m sure is to come for her,” Anderson said.
“For me, this is the second year that I have been able to work with her, and she is not only an amazing athlete, but is a beautiful young lady.
“I know that she was nervous going over there and quite overwhelmed, and then when she actually got drafted you could see the emotion on her.
“The sky’s the limit for this young athlete – she’s got all the goods, mentally and physically and she’s only 19.
“It’s pretty exciting to think about what she can achieve and where she can go, and the scary bit is, that she’s got so much more learning and improving to do.”
Anderson’s sentiment was echoed by those in charge at the Dream, who made the decision to select Puoch on Tuesday.
“She’s a long athletic wing, who immediately brings energy to your team,” General Manager and Executive Vice President at the Dream, Dan Padover told the team’s website.
“We really like what the future could hold for this 19-year-old.”
The upcoming WNBA season begins in mid-May.
