Every week, ESPN's Megan Hustwaite brings together news stories that have caught her eye across the WNBL.
Dean due back soon
Point guard Japreece Dean is eyeing a New Year return to the Adelaide Lightning from a broken hand.
The 28-year-old American, pick 30 in the 2020 WNBA draft, suffered the injury in the December 20 win over the Flyers and had surgery on Christmas Eve.
"It's a fast recovery process, no cast or nothing, I'm anticipating to be back pretty fast. I've started doing some work outs, trying not to use my left hand," she said.
"The doctor said it was a good break, the kind you want to have. The estimated time was two to three weeks from the day of surgery and I'm being optimistic and going two weeks."
Dean, averaging 12 points, 3 assists, 3 rebounds and a steal in her debut WNBL campaign, has used her time on the sidelines to plot additions to her game.
"Especially offensively, with the new coach (Scott Ninnis) and new things, I'm seeing new opportunities to execute," she said.
"I'm definitely a scoring point guard but I do think I probably need to pick up my assists, find people in better positions and obviously my teammates have to do their part as well.
"I have been trying to look for more opportunities to raise my assists, that game against Southside, I played seven minutes and I had already four assists so I thought I was going for a double-digit assist game."
Adelaide host Canberra on Friday night then travel to Perth to face the Lynx on Sunday.
Merry Melbourne Christmas
All of Jade Melbourne's Christmases came at once with the Canberra captain returning to solids just in time for the big day.
The Paris Olympic medallist had her mouth split against Southside in Round 6 leading to a diet of mashed potato, fish, smoothies and yoghurt.
"It was a sad couple of weeks," Melbourne laughs.
"My mum's side of the family does the best Christmas lunch and I smashed down everything - meat, veggies, dessert. You name it, it was on my plate."
Melbourne gifted Caps fans two mid-range jumpers for Christmas, which she delivered in Sunday's clash with Perth.
"I've never hit two in a game. It's something I've been working on and I think it surprised me as much as it surprised everyone else."
The kids are alright
With teen debutant Sam Konstas breathing life and enthusiasm into Australian cricket with his shot play, confidence and energy during the Boxing Day Test it's a good time to shine a light on the young stars lighting up the WNBL.
Our teens are getting opportunities right around the league and showing promising glimpses of the future landscape of Australian women's basketball.
2024 FIBA Under-18 Asia Cup All-Star Saffron Shiels earned her first WNBL start for Townsville in the Fire's win over Geelong at the weekend and, like rookie team mate Abbey Ellis, has basketball fans excited.
Monique Bobongie, who turned 18 on December 27, has impressed for the Caps while starting in her debut season, while fellow rising star and COE graduate Bonnie Deas continues to provide a contribution off the bench for Sydney.
Here's cheers to Kelly
As Erin Griffin, Kelsey's better half, said so well two years ago when Kelly Wilson became the first player to reach 400 WNBL games: "She makes history every time she steps on the court."
Wilson, turned 41 on New Year's Day, and has spent her birthday on a big Bendigo road trip.
The top-of-the-table Spirit beat the Lightning in Adelaide on December 27, knocked off the Fire in Townsville on New Year's Eve and now head to Sydney to play the Flames on January 2.
The champion point guard's first game of 2025 will be her 466th WNBL game.
Wilson is six assists away from making more history and breaking Kristen Veal's record of 1617 career assists.
Three Pointers with Southside Flyer Tayah Burrows
1: I didn't know whether I'd play the back end of 2024 after snapping the fifth metatarsal in my foot while playing in Europe which required major surgery and eight months rehab.
There was an opportunity at Southside, it was probably a little early in the rehab process because I hadn't touched a ball in that time. I gave it a go with no pressure or expectations, trained with the team for three weeks and I really stank it up in the first two. It started to come back to me in the last little bit and I was able to show Kristi (coach Kristi Harrower) and the team what I can bring. When Kristi offered me the spot, I was genuinely shocked and relieved. She's really instilled confidence in me from day one and I'm super grateful to her and the club for taking a shot on me.
2: I've made a best friend, or should I say 'cuz' for life in my teammate Dallas Loughridge. She's pretty much a mini version of me. We hit it off from the first day we rocked up to our new crib in Boronia. She learned pretty quickly that I'm a bit weird and like to have a laugh and turns out once she's comfortable with someone she's exactly the same. We're both country girls at heart, she gets me and what I'm trying to say or think, we both like to work hard and get after each other at practice.
3: I'm a mad Fremantle Dockers fan, I bleed purple and my Nan taught me how to be a one-eyed supporter. I remember Nat Fyfe's first game in 2010, you could just tell he was going to be an absolute superstar. I quickly became obsessed with him, how he went about his game - aggressive, tough and super athletic. My mum has videos of me bawling my eyes out and screaming when he won the Brownlow in 2015 and 2019. When he became a dual Brownlow medallist, I decided to get those years tattooed on my arm a lot of people think I'm crazy but it's something that means a lot and is special to me.