LIAM DURKIN
TRARALGON basketball export Jade Melbourne is off to the WNBA.
Family and friends gathered to hear the draft and celebrated this morning when her name was called out at pick 33 by the Seattle Storm in the WNBA draft.
The Storm have wasted no time adding Melbourne to the roster, with her name already on the list.
Melbourne is one of three Australians at the Storm, along with Ezi Magbegor and Stephanie Talbot.
Seattle plays in the Western Conference of the WNBA and was founded before the 2000 season began.
The Storm had a successful season in 2021, winning 21 games to finish third in their conference, before losing in the second round of the play-offs.
Somewhat fittingly, Melbourne is going to a club that uses ‘Thunderstruck’ by AC/DC as its theme song at home games.
The 19-year-old has enjoyed a steady rise through basketball ranks after making her Opals debut during the Asia Cup last year.
Melbourne was set to return to Traralgon earlier this year to play a match for her WNBL team Canberra Capitals at the Gippsland Regional Indoor Sports Stadium, but the match was cancelled due to COVID.
