Basketball: Longley's praise lights flame for McSpadden's Sydney move

The Novocastian centre was making her way down the tunnel at Qudos Bank Arena after helping steer the Townsville Fire to a 92-77 triumph over the Sydney Flames in round 11 of the WNBL last season.

McSpadden, sporting a grin after a season-high 12 points and six rebounds, saw the imposing figure of Australian basketball legend and Chicago Bulls NBA championship-winner Luc Longley.

Longley also happens to be part-owner of the Sydney Kings and Sydney Flames.

"After the game, I was walking down the tunnel and Luc Longley pulled me aside," McSpadden said. "He gave me a wrap and said 'we will have to get you to Sydney'."

Fast forward nine months. McSpadden, 24, is part of a Sydney Flames rebuild that includes the arrival of Australian Opals star Cayla George and fellow WNBA gun Didi Richards.

"It is funny to think that Luc approached me about it and here I am," McSpadden said. "I have seen him at a few training sessions. But it is more to just watch and see what is happening."

It is McSpadden's second stint with the Flames.

She joined the club as a 17-year-old in 2016 and won a championship in the first of four seasons before heading north to Townsville.

In Townsville, the 193cm forward reunited with former Newcastle Falcons coach Shannon Seebohm.

Although part of a championship-winning campaign with the Fire this season, McSpadden made the move back to Sydney for more opportunity.

A role player for the Fire, McSpadden was stuck behind Mikalea Ruef and Tianna Hawkins and averaged four points and two rebounds a game.

"I would have loved to stay in Townsville but after talking to Shannon, he wanted to bring the same team back," McSpadden said. "He was open and honest with me and told me that my role wasn't going to change. There were no bad feelings and he was happy for me to chase another opportunity. I won't be starting at Sydney but we only really have three bigs so there will be quite a rotation in that department, which is good.

"We have lots of Opals - Cayla George, Tess Madgen, Lauren Nicholson - in our team and I'm excited to learn from them.

"Each of our offences has a variety of looks. My role will to be a presence inside and crash the boards. I will also be running the lanes hard as well. I'm quite fast for a big."

McSpadden is coming off a fantastic campaign in the NBL1 North, where she led the Rockhampton Cyclones to final and averaged 18 points and 11 rebounds a game.

"The season was a huge success," McSpadden said. "We were 11th in 2022 and to make it to the finals was amazing."

The Flames open their 2023-24 WNBL season away to Perth on November 3.

McSpadden interrupted pre-season to help run a hoops and empowerment holiday camp for 100 girls at Newcastle Basketball Stadium on Friday where she joined fellow stars Katie Ebzery, Nicole Munger, Annie LaFleur and Shakera Reilly.

"Getting the chance to come home and give back to the community has been really cool," she said.