Sami Whitcomb came to Australia as a last minute state league signing.
![WNBA-bound: Sami Whitcomb.](/web/20170211081149im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/u/8/r/c/b/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gu8a4g.png/1486589687804.jpg)
Later this year she's expected to make her WNBA debut.
The US born, Australian permanent resident capped one of the more unusual ascensions in Australian basketball on Thursday when storied WNBA club Seattle Storm announced the Perth Lynx star as their latest signing.
As a first-year WNBA player, the 28-year-old will sign a training camp contract but she is expected to be on the roster and play minutes for her new club.
While Australia is now home and Whitcomb is hoping to sit for her citizenship test in May, signing with the Storm is also a homecoming as she played five years for the Seattle-based University of Washington Huskies.
In those years Whitcomb was in awe of Storm stars Sue Bird and Lauren Jackson, dreaming that one day she could play on the same court. Even though it's a few years later than she hoped, she now gets her chance.
"It's a dream move," Whitcomb told Fairfax Media.
"When [agent] Sammy Wloszczowski told me Seattle were interested I wanted to laugh, I couldn't believe it.
"I'm so fortunate to be given this opportunity but it's kind of crazy for me at the same time - I'll believe it completely once I'm in training camp."
Whitcomb almost made the WNBA in 2010 when she was fresh out of college as she turned a tryout with Chicago Sky into being the last player cut from the team, but she never received another look in so mixed working in the US with playing stints in Europe.
In 2013 the California-raised shooter was travelling through Europe when she took an SOS call from Western Australian State Basketball League club Rockingham Flames who had had their previously signed import pull out.
"I had been playing in Germany and our team made the finals then went bankrupt so we couldn't play," Whitcomb said.
"So I was going to travel for a month or so and then go back home - hopefully someone in Europe would sign me for the next season.
"Flames coach Ryan Petrik [now Perth assistant coach] was scrambling to find an import and the girl who dropped out had played in Germany and she recommended me - I was keen to keep playing and always had an interest in visiting Australia so we made the deal."
Whitcomb became an immediate sensation with the Flames in 2013, winning the first of three straight league MVP awards before leading the Flames to their first championship in 2014.
In 2013 and 2014 Whitcomb played in Europe during the Australian summer then headed back to the Flames. Surprisingly no one in the WNBL made a serious play to sign Whitcomb despite her outstanding form.
So in 2015 she stayed in Australia and kept training with an eye to developing her game so she could make the WNBL.
As she worked away, the Perth Wildcats bought the embattled West Coast Waves and rebranded them as the Perth Lynx, signing players to full time deals during the season and naming former Wildcats' assistant coach Andy Stewart as coach.
One of Stewart's first signings was Whitcomb and his move proved an inspired one as Whitcomb almost immediately turned into a WNBL star and had many supporters wondering how their club hadn't put more time into luring Whitcomb east.
Last year Whitcomb averaged a team-high 19 points per game as the Lynx lost the grand final to Townsville Fire. This year she is averaging a league best 24 points per game and the Lynx again look contenders for the title.
Whitcomb's three-point shooting is also considered to be as good as anyone in the WNBL or the NBL.
"I wasn't enjoying playing in Europe as much as I had previously so I wanted to do all I could to play in the WNBL," Whitcomb said.
"It wasn't until the Lynx were set up that I was given an opportunity - we had a lot of WNBL experience in the side and those girls helped me adjust plus the team and the offence is a good fit for me and my style of play.
"More than anything I felt I had nothing to lose, most of the league probably thought I shouldn't have been playing there anyway."
The Lynx had injury troubles to start the season but are on a four-game winning streak heading into the third-last round of the season.
Balancing those WNBA talks while helping the Lynx win games has pushed Whitcomb hard in recent weeks but she has much to look forward to including the Lynx's finals campaign, the possibility she could win the WNBL most valuable player award and her WNBA first season.
Whitcomb will also likely be in the Opals' squad for their next training camp although only one naturalised player can play for the side meaning she will be battling with Rio Olympian Leilani Mitchell and Bendigo Spirit star Kelsey Griffin for a place.
"I would love the chance to go to camp and compete against all those great players," Whitcomb said.
"There is stiff competition for that naturalised player spot so even if I don't make it I would love to be there helping the girls prepare for whatever tournaments or tours they are preparing for.
"I'm ready for whatever pops up in the future."
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