WNBA draftees anchor Opals team to face NZ

• Nyadiew Puoch and Isobel Borlase bring the star power to Australian Opals team
• Perth Lynx's Miela Sowah 3x3 success earns her a call-up
• Trans-Tasman Series clashes with start of the 2025 WNBA season

WNBA draftees Nyadiew Puoch and Isobel Borlase selection in the Australian Opals 12-player squad to face New Zealand in May, 2025, means both will almost certainly miss the WNBA 2025 season, deferred for another year of development.

Puoch was drafted 12th overall by the Atlanta Dream in 2024 while Borlase was selected 24th by the Dream.

WNBA training camp stars April 27, 2025 and the season tips off on May 16, just have days after the third game in the Trans-Tasman Series.

Miela Sowah rise continues after she made her international debut for Australia at the 2016 FIBA Under-17 World Championship, where she helped to the Sapphires win gold. She continued her junior national team journey with appearances at the 2017 FIBA Under-17 Oceania Championship, the 2018 FIBA Under-18 Asian Championship, and the 2019 FIBA Under-19 World Cup.

In May 2023, Sowah represented Australia in 3x3 basketball as part of the national team.

In March, she was named in the Australia 3x3 team for the FIBA 3x3 Champions Cup in Bangkok, where she helped the Gangurrus secure a bronze medal and earned all-tournament team honours. Later that month, she played a key role in Australia’s gold medal win at the 2025 FIBA 3x3 Asia Cup.

Australian Opals

• Sara Blicavs
• Nyadiew Puoch
• Isobel Borlase
• Stephanie Reid
• Abbey Ellis
• Maddison Rocci
• Alexandra Fowler
• Lauren Scherf
• Keely Froling
• Alexandra Sharp
• Miela Sowah
• Courtney Wood

AUS v NZL Trans-Tasman Throwdown

1. Adelaide — Wednesday 7 May — Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Adelaide
2. Sunshine Coast — Friday 9 May — UniSC Arena, Sunshine Coast
3. Hamilton — Sunday 11 May — GLOBOX Arena, Hamilton, New Zealand