WNBL MVP favourite Anneli Maley on cusp of WNBA contract with Chicago Sky

Rising Australian basketball star and WNBL MVP favourite Anneli Maley is on the cusp of receiving a fulltime WNBA contract.

Livewire Anneli Maley continues to go from strength to strength in 2022.

The Bendigo Spirit forward has received a training contract from reigning WNBA champ Chicago Sky.

The 23-year-old is averaging 20.2 points and 15.9 rebounds and is a leading contender to claim the Suzy Batkovic Medal for the league’s most valuable player.

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Anneli Maley has won a training contract with the Chicago Sky. Picture: Mike Owen/Getty

Melbourne Boomers captain Cayla George celebrated game 300 in style at the weekend.

The dual Olympian registered her ninth double-double of the season as the Boomers defeated Adelaide, 72-49.

George, who played in a championship with Townsville in 2017-18 before joining the Boomers, will embark on her sixth straight final series next week.

Homeless Capitals face punishing title quest

Canberra’s most successful sporting franchise is without a venue to play finals as it prepares for a shot at 10th title and could be forced to play home fixtures in other cities.

The WNBL’s most successful team is homeless for its upcoming tilt at a 10th championship.

The UC Capitals, who can finish top of the ladder at the completion of this week’s final round, don’t have a venue to host finals which start next week and could have to play their home fixtures in Wollongong or Sydney.

Following the Capitals last title, the 5000-seat AIS Arena was shut down for repairs in July 2020 with neither federal or ACT governments yet to commit to funding an upgrade. The venue is now used as a mass vaccination hub.

While Canberra has played its home games at the National Convention Centre this season, the venue is booked out during the best-of-three semi-finals series and can only seat 1700 fans.

Capitals general manager Lucille Bailie said the situation had a wide-ranging impact on the club.

“We do not have a Canberra venue suitable to host finals and that’s incredibly inappropriate for Canberra’s most successful sporting team, our players, members and supporters take a hit and so does our organisation,” Bailie said.

“On so many levels it’s so disappointing and not good enough.”

The Capitals line up for the national anthem at the National Convention Centre, but the venue is unavailable for the upcoming finals series.

The Capitals are calling on federal and ACT governments to commit to a new training and playing venue estimated at $150 million. UC Arena is part of the University of Canberra’s sports strategy master plan which would see a 10,000 seat, seven-court facility built on its Bruce campus.

“Our job is to play basketball and run a basketball organisation, we don’t plan or build basketball stadiums — that’s the job of state, territory and federal governments,” Bailie said.

“We know what it’s like to play finals in front of 5000 fans and to not have that because of a lack of foresight, a lack of importance of issue and to miss an opportunity to showcase and enjoy our product as an elite, successful sporting organisation for our players, fans and all our stakeholders, is not right and needs urgent attention.”

Anneli Maley (right) is a leading contender in the race as the league’s most valuable player.

3-pointers with Townsville Fire’s Courtney Woods

1: My opportunity to start has come about in an unfortunate way due to injuries but I’ve been trying to learn as much as I can from the experience.

2: My favourite and toughest match up this season was Tiff Mitchell from Melbourne, one of the most well-rounded players I’ve ever played against.

3: My mum came to play in Sydney as an import from Seattle n the 1980s and was a lethal shooter. Her and Dad put a ball in my hands at age four and have been there every step of the journey since.

Originally published as WNBL MVP favourite Anneli Maley on cusp of WNBA contract with Chicago Sky