Australian teenager Shaneice Swain has been drafted into the American WNBA by the Los Angeles Sparks, picked up with the 14th pick by the three-time champions.
Swain — a 19-year-old Indigenous point guard with the Canberra Capitals in the WNBL — was the second pick of the second round and described as a "phenom" by the Sparks.
The Cairns product has been tagged as a future national team player and averaged 14.5 points and two assists for the Capitals in the 2022-23 WNBL season.
The Sparks recognised her potential and took the Yupangathi and Gangalidda/Gooreng Gooreng woman with their second pick in the draft, although ESPN analyst Charlie Creme suggested she likely would not be coming onto the playing roster immediately.
Regardless, her arrival elicited a response from LA Lakers' NBA great Magic Johnson and has the Sparks ready to add some antipodean flavour to the menu at their home court.
It was a proud moment for her family with Swain's father, Norman, telling the ABC he knew his daughter would always play well beyond her Cairns backyard.
"From a very young age, I just knew she had talent," Swain said.
"We had a basketball hoop outside, she'd come in very late from outside, 9, 10pm. That's all she wanted to do."
The 19-year-old will travel home this week and celebrate the career milestone with her family.
"Over the moon, very excited," Norman Swain added.
"Held back a few tears, I just can't wait until she gets back home and I can enjoy the moment with her."
The Cairns Dolphins' Kerry Williams has coached Swain for several years, and said the point guard's always been a stand-out, natural talent.
"She has great anticipation and reaction … as a junior she never wanted to train against the girls, she always wanted to compete against the boys," he said.
"I'm super proud watching her and seeing her be drafted in the WNBA, it was one of her goals and to watch her growth as a junior into the pros."
That sentiment is shared by her WNBL team, the Canberra Capitals.
The club's general manager, Lucille Bailie, said it's an incredibly exciting day for both Shaneice Swain and her local fans.
"What she's got is an X factor," Lucille Bailie said.
"Shaneice plays with a little bit of magic, so you don't quite know what you're going to get with Shaneice because, when [she] needs turns it on, she accelerates to the point where players cannot defend her."
