Opals star Sami Whitcomb joins Townsville Fire in WNBL

The Townsville Fire have pulled off a major coup with sharpshooter Sami Whitcomb joining the defending champions for the upcoming Women’s National Basketball League (WNBL) season.

Fire star and Australian basketball royalty Kate Gaze said the signing would deliver a big boost to the squad’s title defence.

“It’s an exciting signing for our team,” Gaze said.

“As we all know, Sami is a phenomenal player but even more so, a wonderful human being.

“She has been a superstar in our league for many years and she will fit into the culture we have here at the Townsville Fire perfectly.

“She’s competitive, hardworking, and a great teammate and is someone the Fire fans will be so excited about watching.

“I can’t wait to have Sami and her family in town and to see what we can achieve this season.”

The signing came after Whitcomb left the Perth Lynx, where she was captain, having said last month that she believed her chances of earning selection for the Australian Olympic team would improve by joining another WNBL team.

The 34-year-old shooting guard has worked her hustle on the hardcourt both at home with the Lynx (2015-2018, 2021-2023) and abroad lining up in the peak American professional league, the WNBA, with the New York Liberty (2021-2022) and Seattle Storm (2017-2020, 2023-present).

Whitcomb is a two-time WNBA champion (2018, 2020) and has been named on the All-WNBL First Team in four seasons (2016-2018, 2023).

Born and raised in California, she became an Australian citizen in 2018 and made her debut for the Opals later that year.

Whitcomb has since won two medals at the Women’s Basketball World Cup – silver in 2018 and bronze in 2022 – as well as bronze at the 2021 FIBA Asia Cup.

In its 44th year, the WNBL will start its preseason on September 11 with round one to tip off on November 1.

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