Geelong United’s Jaz Shelley sets sights on future Australian Opals selection

Drafted to the WNBA but cut less than a month later, Jaz Shelley returns to the WNBL with ambitions of making another esteemed roster. Plus, the rivals she turned her back on to sign at Geelong.

Jaz Shelley’s return to the WNBL comes after a five-year US college stint at Oregon and Nebraska. Picture: Ali Gradischer/Getty Images/AFP

Jaz Shelley will use a WNBL homecoming to push her case for future Opals selection, while a desire to make it back to the WNBA still burns for the Geelong United guard.

The 24-year-old returns to the league for the first since 2019 — when she won Rookie of the Year honours with Melbourne Boomers while still in high school.

A successful five-year collegiate career at Oregon and Nebraska culminated in Shelley getting drafted into the WNBA by Phoenix Mercury in April, though she was cut less than a month later, days before their final 11-player roster was finalised.

Five months on, Shelley said her focus was zeroed in on Australian national opportunities.

“It would be a dream to be in the Opals and play in the Olympic Games so that is kind of where the head’s at and hopefully everything else can take care of itself,” Shelley said.

Asked what was needed to put herself in the Opals’ frame, Shelley is intent on becoming a more physical, lockdown defender, while finishing in the paint and consistency around her three-point game are all areas for improvement.

“Pretty much play my game but tighten up some loose ends I think I need to work on,” she said.

Realising another childhood dream with her name called out with pick 29 in the WNBA draft, Shelley experienced first-hand the ruthless process of making a roster.

“It is tough, there is only very few roster spots and a lot of girls at training camp,” Shelley said.

“But I pretty much did everything that I could and learnt so much from being in that environment and also learnt what I needed to work on to hopefully get back in there one day.”

With the WNBA set to introduce a new franchise — Golden State Valkyries — in 2025 before welcoming teams in Toronto and Portland in 2026, more opportunity could open for Shelley to press a future case in the WNBA.

“I think a lot of girls missed out (on spots) and had the capabilities of being in that league so I’m really excited more people get the opportunity,” Shelley said.

Shelley revealed Geelong United’s eventual entry into the WNBL this summer saw her forgo initial interest in joining Bendigo and Townsville, with the franchise's inaugural signing having lined up for the Geelong Supercats in the NBL in 2019.

“It (Geelong United) came late in the my recruiting process... I thought I had made my mind up,” she said.

“Knowing the community and playing here before, it was something that was too exciting for me (to pass up).”

“I’m a big country girl... I just love being able to support regional towns, and this felt like home to me.”

Originally published as Geelong United’s Jaz Shelley sets sights on future Australian Opals selection