From the White House to Parkville: Magbegor shapes as future face of the Opals

Ezi Magbegor still isn’t completely comfortable with being out front.

There are those who see her boundless talent and want her to become the face of women’s basketball in Australia now, especially after Liz Cambage’s exit from the Australian Opals, but those who know the young star, know rushing her is not a good idea.

Despite entering her fifth WNBL season and having a WNBA championship, a visit to Joe Biden’s White House plus appearances at the Olympics and World Cup to her name, the Melbourne Boomers centre is still just 22.

Ezi Magbegor in action at the Tokyo Olympics. Credit: Getty Images

Earlier this year Nike featured Magbegor in its ‘Play New’ marketing campaign and at the company’s Chapel Street store her presence filled the whole front window. Magbegor was happy to avoid seeing it as she was in the US.

“I am a reserved person, so that isn’t normally something I’m comfortable with, but they make those shoots easy, fun and relaxed, which I really appreciate,” Magbegor said.

“Having my face on posters was weird but pretty cool - I wasn’t here for most of it, so I didn’t get to walk past and see my face or anything.”

Walking through the White House with the Seattle Storm was a career highlight, with the 2020 champions becoming the first WNBA team to visit since 2016, as teams had refused to visit during the Trump administration.

“Meeting the president was really cool, he was very relaxed and showed us around the White House,” Magbegor said.

“It was a pinch yourself moment, very formal when you first walk in, then you look at the rooms and the grounds and how well-kept they are, and you think, ‘We are actually in the White House.’”

Magbegor has sets her sights on helping the Boomers to their first WNBL title since 2011 and leading the Opals to success at the FIBA Women’s World Cup in Sydney next year.

Opals coach Sandy Brondello knows her side will lean on Magbegor, but she isn’t pushing the centre to be the next Lauren Jackson or Cambage.

“She’s maturing and with every experience that she gets, she’s getting better and better, but we don’t want to put undue pressure on her,” Brondello said.

“We’ve had Jackson in the past, Liz Cambage and some bright stars but to win you need teamwork and I don’t want to put that pressure on her.

“I want Ezi to just be Ezi, then take a little more ownership and a little more responsibility.“

Magbegor will likely be one of the more experienced Opals, and she expects to take more onus on court and with less experienced teammates.

“It’s crazy to think that, but you solidify your spot in the Opals and become a leader,” Magbegor said.

Magbegor has put work into her outside game and being more aggressive around the basket. She also looks stronger with her play in the paint.

“Being more of a perimeter player is something that I will continue to work on for the rest of my career,” she said.

“Playing on the perimeter, shooting the three-ball and being competitive in the low post are things I have continued to work on.”

The Boomers’ strength is their chemistry. Cayla George, Magbegor, Tess Madgen and Lindsay Allen have all spent multiple years with the club.

Boomers coach Guy Molloy is moving to New Zealand at the end of the season after nine years at the helm while the team has moved to Parkville, aka the renovated stadium formerly known as the State Netball and Hockey Centre, due to redevelopment works at the State Basketball Centre.

The move has been a win for the players, who no longer have to drive 40 minutes to do their weights training after training sessions.

“It’s got a lot of the facilities that every elite club should have, as we go to training and then lift and then go straight to the recovery centre,” Magbegor said.

“The Boomers are setting that standard for elite teams in the WNBL and people are definitely using their voices a little more and saying we need these things just as much as any other elite sporting team.”

The Boomers took an unexpected loss on Wednesday when the Bendigo Spirit upset them 63-58 in Bendigo.

Still, Magbegor wants to send Molloy out a winner.

“It would mean a lot, especially because it’s Guy’s last season with us,” Magbegor said.

“We’ve been so close in the last few years, we’re just going to put our best foot forward and give ourselves the best chance of winning a championship.”

The Boomers play Southside Flyers at Parkville on Saturday at 7.30pm.