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Opals captain and WNBA Champion Whitcomb signs with Lynx
SEN • May 14th, 2026 1:18 pm
The Perth Lynx are thrilled to announce that Australian Opals captain and two-time WNBA Champion, Sami Whitcomb, has committed to the club on a two-year deal, subject to WNBL review and approval.
Whitcomb comes with a resume and experience that will be the envy of the rest of the League. Her most recent outing in the WNBL – during her 2024-25 season with the Bendigo Spirit – was one of the most dominant individual and team performances the competition has seen. Leading the Spirit to their first Championship in 11 years, Whitcomb was the runaway winner of the Suzy Batkovic Medal – awarded to the League’s Most Valuable Player – winner of the WNBL Grand Final MVP, awarded as the WNBL’s leading scorer, and named in the WNBL’s All-Star First Team.
Following her WNBL success in 2024-25, Whitcomb opted to continue her career overseas, signing a one‑year deal with Beşiktaş JK in Türkiye’s top-tier Women's Basketball Super League for the 2025–26 season. This is on top of a host of international experience already possessed by the guard, who most notably has played for the Seattle Storm (2017-2020, 2023-2024) winning Championships in 2018 and 2020, New York Liberty (2021-2022), and most recently, the Phoenix Mercury (2025 to present) in the WNBA.
Also a decorated Australian Opal, Whitcomb was recently named captain of the national team during their campaign at the FIBA Qualifying Tournament in Türkiye, reinforcing her leadership and status in Australian basketball. In her time with the Opals, she’s played and medalled at a FIBA Asia Cup (2021 - bronze), two FIBA World Cups (2018 – silver, 2022 – bronze), and most notably, was a part of the bronze medal winning team at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
Whitcomb is no stranger to the Lynx, having previously represented the club from 2015-18 and 2021-23, and said she is excited to return and be based near her young family for WNBL27.
“Committing to the Lynx and being based in Perth, with my family around me, is a dream scenario,” Whitcomb said. “It's great to come home and join a club that I know has such a rich history, strong culture and plays really exciting basketball.”
“Our roster for next season is shaping up to be really exciting, and I’m excited to link up with Ryan and the team when I get back from my time with the Mercury in the WNBA and get stuck in.”
Perth Lynx General Manager, Chris Earl, said Whitcomb’s return to the Lynx was an exciting prospect for both the playing group and fans alike
"Sami is one of the most accomplished players in women's basketball, so to add someone of her calibre and with her basketball IQ to the roster is a real coup for us,” Earl said.
“Her winning pedigree across multiple leagues, her experience with the Opals, and her ties to Perth make her return hugely exciting for our program and fans, and we can’t wait to see her back out on the WNBL stage in a Lynx jersey again.”
Whitcomb joins Anneli Maley, Alex Ciabattoni and Nya Lok as players confirmed for the Perth Lynx roster for WNBL27.
