
In the AWSN Power Player series, we highlight the stars making big moves in women's sports. Sami Whitcomb of the WNBL and WNBA is one such player.
After a stellar collegiate career at the University of Washington, Sami Whitcomb took her talents abroad. In 2015, Whitcomb embarked on a transformative chapter by joining the Perth Lynx in Australia's Women's National Basketball League (WNBL). Her impact was immediate and profound. During the 2015–16 season, she averaged 19.4 points, 5.7 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 2.8 steals per game, earning a spot in the WNBL All-Star Five and leading the Lynx to their first Grand Final appearance since 1999. The following season, she elevated her game further, averaging 24.1 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 2.6 steals per game. Her remarkable performance included setting a WNBL single-season record with 91 three-pointers and scoring 41 points in a semi-final game, the highest in WNBL semi-final history.
“Representing Australia at the Olympics was the greatest. I’m so proud to have been a part of that team. They’re my sisters. I’ve been a citizen since 2018 and played at two world cups for Australia before Paris. My wife and kids are Australian, I truly feel Australian. It’s my home…”

Whitcomb's stellar performances caught the attention of the WNBA, leading to her signing with the Seattle Storm in 2017. As a key contributor, she played an instrumental role in the Storm's championship victories, bringing energy, sharpshooting, and veteran leadership to the team.
In September 2024, Whitcomb signed with the WNBL’s Bendigo Spirit for the 2024–25 WNBL season. She made an immediate impact, averaging 26.7 points over the first four games and recording her first career triple-double with 16 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists in a victory over the Perth Lynx. She has been on fire!

“I think the WNBA can at times reflect the NBA a little more in terms of offensive production, lots of 3s, maybe a little more 1v1, but generally speaking I think both are very defensive-minded leagues.”
Meet WNBL’s PPG Leader Sami Whitcomb
AWSN: Tell us about your early years playing basketball and how you knew it was going to become a career.
Whitcomb: I played college ball at UW before beginning my overseas career. I’ve been fortunate enough to play all over Europe and then when I was 28 I got a training camp contract with Seattle. I’m not sure I was ever sure it would be a career but I knew I wanted it to be one pretty early on when I was young. I absolutely loved it.
AWSN: What’s a surprising difference and surprising similarity between playing in the WNBA and WNBL?
Whitcomb: WNBL and WNBA are similar in terms of being a physical league with great players. Lots of great WNBA players play out here and Australia is rich in local talent too. I think the WNBA can at times reflect the NBA a little more in terms of offensive production, lots of 3s, and maybe a little more 1v1, but generally speaking, I think both are very defensive-minded leagues.

AWSN: What are some downtime hobbies you enjoy that are unique to Australia?
Australia is pretty similar to the States so I don’t have many hobbies that are unique to being there. I go to the beach or cafes for coffee much like I would when I’m able to in the States. I love spending time with my boys and my wife at parks and playgrounds, but that’s true wherever we are!

AWSN: What was it like playing for Australia at the Olympics? How did this decision come about?
Representing Australia at the Olympics was the greatest. I’m so proud to have been a part of that team. They’re my sisters. I’ve been a citizen since 2018 and played at two world cups for Australia before Paris. My wife and kids are Australian, I truly feel Australian. It’s my home, so I’m very lucky I was selected and able to represent Australia on that stage.

AWSN: What inspired the decision to become an Australian citizen?
Australia has been my home since 2013 and after marrying my wife in 2017 it felt like a really natural thing to do to become a citizen of this country that really gave me my life. I’ve loved my life here, the basketball I’ve been able to play, I’ve created a beautiful family and have the best friends. Of course, I’d want to be a citizen!

AWSN: You’ve led in some big stat categories for the WNBL, do you approach the season with specific performance goals in mind?
Usually, for me, I wanna win. That’s the big one. Sure I wanna be great and play well for my team, but with the caveat that we are successful. And that looks different each year depending on the team, so I try to just focus on that.
AWSN: What games are you looking forward to in the final stretch of the season?
All the games are big in this final stretch. Honestly, I think the rest all have post-season implications for everyone so they’ll all be tough battles!
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