Not Just WNBA Players Playing All Year

[awhom111]

Obviously they get the most publicity since they are the most known and make the most money, but there are a lot of other players who do it, often because they need the money. There are a handful of leagues, especially in South America, that run the same approximate schedule as the WNBA and they often sign players who play the rest of the year in Europe.

In Australia, the national league runs less than half the year so the rest of the year is filled by local leagues. A number of Americans have like their experience so much that they have become permanent Australian residents and also have regular jobs alongside their semipro basketball salaries. After her first season in the national league, Kaili McLaren signed with the Ipswich Force in the Queensland Basketball League and they played their first game over the weekend:

Kaili Mclaren - Player Statistics

Player Statistics for Kaili Mclaren while playing in the Queensland Basketball League Powered by GameDay

websites.sportstg.com

I was going to post this in the overseas update thread, but for some reason it was closed at the peak of the season.

 

[psconn]

Long time Sun favorite and Nebraska star, Kelsey Griffin loved her Australia experience so much she became a citizen and resident. For several years she avoided the WNBA while starring in the WNBL (3x Champ and MVP), played for the Opals, and working a side gig as a sports equipment (Peak Sports) spokesperson. She is coming back to the WNBA for the first time since 2014 and has signed a Lynx training camp contract. She tried to come back with the Sun last year but was injured before training camp started. Hopefully, she makes a roster. I always loved her hustle and toughness.

 

[UConnCat]

Long time Sun favorite and Nebraska star, Kelsey Griffin loved her Australia experience so much she became a citizen and resident. For several years she avoided the WNBA while starring in the WNBL (3x Champ and MVP), played for the Opals, and working a side gig as a sports equipment (Peak Sports) spokesperson. She is coming back to the WNBA for the first time since 2014 and has signed a Lynx training camp contract. She tried to come back with the Sun last year but was injured before training camp started. Hopefully, she makes a roster. I always loved her hustle and toughness.

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I hope she makes the Lynx as well. The injury that prevented her from playing for the Sun last year also kept her from playing for the Opals in the 2018 World Cup. She was MVP of the Asia Cup in 2017. Kelsey is part of the pool of players who will hope to make the Opals team in next year's Olympics.

 

[JellyBean]

Enjoyed watching her play in college. Her freshmen season at Nebraska, you could see flashes of confidence and swag. She could shot and rebound!! As a Lynx fan, I hope she is able to find a spot on the roster. With 18 bodies (including Kelsey) on the roster right now, spots/minutes are going to be hard to find. I wish her the best. Great talent.

 

[Shades]

Hopefully, she makes a roster.

She seems to be injured again. I’m not seeing how the Lynx will favor an oft-injured player over one of their promising young players, but with Reeve you never know.

Kelsey Griffin out of Opals camp

Injury will keep both Kelsey Griffin and Canberra Capitals teammate Kristy Wallace out of the training camp

www.canberratimes.com.au

 

[psconn]

She seems to be injured again. I’m not seeing how the Lynx will favor an oft-injured player over one of their promising young players, but with Reeve you never know.

Kelsey Griffin out of Opals camp

Injury will keep both Kelsey Griffin and Canberra Capitals teammate Kristy Wallace out of the training camp

www.canberratimes.com.au

Minor toe surgery before her WNBA return, it says. Dated April 8th, camp opens May 5th. Sounds like the plan was immediate surgery to provide time to heal and be at her best in the Lynx camp. Hope it works out for her.