by The Brydens Sydney Uni Flames have secured yet another rising star of international basketball with Dallas Wings guard Chelsea Dungee (Cherokee) signing on for the 2021-22 WNBL season.
The talented 24-year-old American guard arrived in Australia at the weekend as a replacement for import Leaonna Odom, who could not make the trip due to injury.
The signing of Dungee means the Flames boast three of the top 10 picks from the 2021 WNBA draft with Dungee going at pick 5 to Dallas, Shyla Heal (8, Chicago) and the Flames other import guard Steph Watts (10, Los Angeles).
Dungee completes the Flames’ roster and will add even more X factor to an already young and dynamic Flames outfit which has been rebuilt by new Flames coach and former Boomers and Kings great Shane Heal.
“We are excited to ad Chelsea to our Flames roster. She is a talented rookie who had a tremendous college career and I believe she is a star of the future,” Heal said.
“We decided to go with a wing instead of replacing Odom with another player in the four spot. Chelsea will fit our up-tempo style of basketball as she has an ability to shoot the three or play off the dribble to create and score.
Dungee was signed with Turkish giant Galatasaray in the EuroLeague on the completion of the WNBA season, but both parties recently agreed to part ways.
“My chats with Chelsea in Turkey were great and she is excited about coming into this young and enthusiastic group as we look to rebuild the Flames for years to come,” Heal said.
“To have the fifth, eighth and 10th picks in the WNBA’s draft shows how young we really are but also how much upside this group has.
“The team has practiced really well and I’m happy with the continued improvement across the board as we count down to our first game against Canberra.”
The Flames open their WNBL season at Qudos Bank Arena against the UC Capitals in a blockbuster double header with the Sydney Kings on December 5.
