A native Australian from rural Merredin in Western Australia, the 5-7 point guard has often been overlooked as a member of the Australian National Team. She trained with the Opals prior to the 2000 and 2004 Olympics, but the first time that she represented her country in international competition was when Australia won the gold medal at the 2006 World Championships in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Mystics' Blue to join UNLV coaching staff in offseason

As Nikki Blue called out the play "high-low" in the fourth quarter of the Washington Mystics' 72-61 win over the Atlanta Dream on Friday, she noticed a weakness in the Dream's defense.

The play is designed for the ball first to go to guard Alana Beard running off a screen for a jump shot, then to forward Taj McWilliams-Franklin in the post as a secondary option. But as the Mystics started the play, Blue noticed McWilliams-Franklin open under the basket and zipped her a pass for an easy layup.

It was a minor adjustment for Blue, but it exemplified the prudence all successful point guards must have. It's also an essential characteristic of the people who devise the plays. And this offseason, Blue will become one of them, entering the coaching ranks as an assistant at UNLV.

Mohegan

Nobody would have blamed Ketia Swanier if she ran to the scorer's table when Sun coach Mike Thibault summoned her to enter the game late Friday … and kept running. And running. Past the Atlanta bench, down the hall, up the escalator, past the craps tables, past Irene and Marge playing the slots, all the way to the parking lot.

Hell of an assignment, this guy Thibault gave her.