WNBA deal only the start for Wilson, says Petrik

• Ally Wilson will join the Chicago Sky on a training camp contract
• She averaged 15.4 points, 4.8 assists and 4.7 rebounds per game on her way to MVP of the Perth Lynx
• She is a three-time WNBL champion

Perth Lynx coach Ryan Petrik believes a WNBA training camp deal with the Chicago Sky won’t be the only reward coming Ally Wilson’s way after a career defining season in the WNBL.

Chicago announced they had signed Wilson, who was recently named the 2024-25 Lynx MVP, on a training camp contract this morning, meaning the WNBL veteran will have the chance to earn a spot on the playing roster for the upcoming season.

The Adelaide product helped Perth to second position on the ladder after the regular season, finishing with averages of 15.4 points, 4.8 assists and 4.7 rebounds per game, leading Petrik’s pace and space offensive style of play from the point guard position. She was also named in the All-WNBL First Team.

Despite being swept by the Townsville Fire in the semi-finals series, Wilson was still impressive, scoring 24 of Perth’s 76 points in game two on Wednesday night.

The news of her WNBA deal may have come as a shock to some, and maybe even Wilson, but not Petrik who knew she was a special talent even when she wasn’t on his team.

“She’s had an amazing season and deserves all the accolades and offers she’s currently receiving,” Petrik said.

“What you saw from her this season, that’s pretty close to what we thought we were going to get.

“We tell the story all the time of Brad (former Perth assistant Brad Robbins) and myself being stuck in a car for two hours driving back from Bendigo talking about Ally and how good she could be in our system.

“She’d show it in patches for Bendigo and Adelaide over the years but then would put it back in cruise control again whilst other stars did their thing. We thought if we could put the ball in her hands more, in our pace and space styled system, she could explode. So, we were bullish on her being very good for us but that elite was an added bonus.”

Asked if there was a particular moment from Wilson that stood out to him, Petrik said: “not really, she was just really good from the start”.

Wilson, who has also had stints with the Bendigo Spirit, Adelaide Lightning, Sydney Uni Flames and Townsville Fire in the WNBL, was also named in the 21-player Australian Opals squad for a training camp in April.

The camp, from April 7-11, will see the program come together for the first time since the bronze-medal winning campaign at last year’s Paris Olympics with the focus now turning to a Trans-Tasman series against New Zealand in May then the FIBA Asia Cup in China in July.

And while Wilson has been a 3x3 star for Australia, Petrik said he believed “100% she’s an Opals player”.

“Clearly I speak with some bias but she’s so strong, and so quick, and so athletic, and then you add her talent and desire to win into that mix, that’s an international player in our eyes,” he said.