Alice Kunek opens up on her horror year of injuries and selection heartbreak ahead of WNBL25
Alice Kunek’s smile leaves no hint of the horror mouth injury she suffered during a year from hell. A fresh WNBL start brings new hope after injury and Olympic selection pain. GRAPHIC VIDEO
Women's Basketball
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Alice Kunek is ready to put a year from hell in the rear-vision mirror as she prepares to load up for a WNBL title assault alongside best mate Bec Cole at Southside.
Kunek, 33, endured a horror year of injuries and selection disappointments but still wears a beaming smile as she reflects on those dark times and her excitement for the future.
She was beaten and bruised, physically and mentally, but not broken.
GRAPHIC WARNING: WATCH THE VIDEO OF KUNEK’S HORROR INJURY IN THE PLAYER ABOVE
The first blow came in early December when the sharpshooting wing landed awkwardly during Townsville’s clash with Canberra.
“I went to take a charge and I just landed on it and my wrist ended up deformed,” Kunek said.
“It was misplaced, the bones broke so badly, it was very traumatic.
“I’ve got a plate and 12 screws in there and they won’t come out until after I retire.
“I missed 10 weeks of the season, which was pretty tough, and then came back for the last couple of games and then finals.”
The Fire topped the WNBL but were bundled out of the playoffs in a straight sets upset by Perth.
Recruited by French club Lyon, Kunek hopped a plane to France but, just eight minutes into her debut, “I got my teeth knocked in”.
When she says knocked in, she’s not lying, the central and lateral incisors on the right side of her mouth were savagely crushed inward in a stomach churning scene.
“I had a mouthguard in and I went up to get a rebound, she came down with her elbow and it was just super unlucky,” Kunek said.
“I’ve had my jaw broken before but the teeth were dislocated and broken. One’s had a root canal and I had to get braces.
“There was a specialist who was able to put them back in that night but they thought I might need implants. I couldn’t play for six weeks
“I feel like I’m lucky because you can’t even tell it happened, now, but it was awful.”
ROCK BOTTOM AFTER OPALS HEARTBREAK
As hard as all of that physical pain was, Kunek says her darkest time was missing out on the Opals’ Paris Olympic team — twice.
Kunek balled out in the Asia Cup last July, winning selection in the All Star Five as the Opals won bronze.
The wrist injury kept her out of the February Olympic qualifiers in Brazil and, while she missed the initial 12-player Games’ squad, Kunek, along with fellow sharpshooter Amy Atwell, was called in as a training player to help with the prep for Paris.
When Bec Allen went down with injury, Opals coach Sandy Brondello had a decision to make.
“I was one of the last cut again and then I was in France, right up until the Olympics,” Kunek said.
“After Bec got injured, (Opals coach) Sandy (Brondello) called me and just said, ‘You’ve done everything right’, once again, ‘but we’re going with Amy’.
“That was on the 24th (July) and we had to stay in Paris until the 26th until the injury cut off.
“I didn’t fly out until the 26th so I was in Paris by myself.
“I mean, it was pretty disappointing the way it was all handled by the national team.
“It was just like, probably looking after players, and, you know, to leave a player in Paris by themselves. It’s pretty disappointing.
“It was a very dark period for me, I won’t lie. It was crushing.”
A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS
That angst has given way to optimism at a new start with the Flyers — with a little help from family, friends and, of course, best mate Coley.
“I feel like I’ve definitely come out the other side and I’m looking forward to what’s ahead and just ready to leave that chapter behind and move on and focus on what’s in front of me, now,” she said.
“My family and friends were incredible, Bec Cole was honestly amazing, my parents were great, honestly, I don’t think I would have got through it without the support and love of everyone around me.
“I understand it. It’s the national team, and, you know, there’s only 12 spots, so I totally get it.
“There’s always someone that misses out and, unfortunately, that was me but I’m really happy for the girls winning that bronze medal and for the Australian community as a whole.
“Now, I’m just ready to move forward in my life, play good basketball.
“I’m home, I’ve got great people around me, good coaching staff, It’s an incredible club.
“I feel really lucky just to be where I am right now.”
HAPPY HOMECOMING
Cole tried last season to recruit Kunek after she decided to come back to Australia, following five European campaigns.
After a season with the Flames, the lure of her home state has produced somewhat of a full circle moment, given Kunek began her WNBL career at the then-Bulleen Boomers.
“I had quite a few European offers but they just all didn’t really feel right and my family wanted me to come home,” she said.
“My brother’s kids are getting older, and I just feel like I was kind of missing a lot of their life, and just wanted to be a little bit more present.
“And then (Opals assistant) Kristi Harrower got the (coaching) job at Southside and the opportunity came up and it was just something that I couldn’t really turn down.”
The NBL has recognised Kunek’s sharp basketball mind, elevating her from courtside reporter to the commentary box this season as she completes a Masters of Economics and International Business.
“I’m trying to set myself up for life after basketball, and you kind of can’t do that stuff in Europe,” she said.
“I won a WNBL title in my first year with Bulleen and it’s always been a goal of mine to win another one.”
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