Swain’s promising season down South

NBL1 South’s Geelong United have scored the ink of WNBL talent, Shaneice Swain for the 2024 season. A chance for the young star to thrive in the biggest competition in the league.

The WNBA draft pick has made her way down from the North where she played for the Cairns Dolphins in the 2023 season, averaging 19.4 points, 9.2 rebounds and 4.3 assists.  

The Cairns junior was praised by NBL1 South experts Michael Thompson and Sandringham commentator Jamie Hamilton, stating that the NBL1 is the perfect place for her to be at this stage in her career. 

“[She] is going to be a future star, Shaneice Swain,” Thompson said on the latest episode of The NBL1 South Podcast.

“This is exactly what the NBL1 should be and is,” Hamilton said.

“The youngsters who don’t get the opportunity yet at the next level. They’re training, they’re involved, they might get spot minutes here and there in the NBL and WNBL. You come and spend your offseason, and I don’t like to say the word coming down, you’re not coming down to the NBL1, it’s a different season. 

“You’re still playing against that (professional) level of talent, it’s just maybe not twelve players that are at that level, it’s eight nine or ten at that level. And now it’s your chance to show what you can really do.

“As we’ve seen across the league, and all across the country, there are scouts, there are team owners, there are managers, that are watching every single game. So now is your time to shine, and show what you can do,” he said.

Swain was the 14th overall pick by the Los Angeles Sparks in the 2023 WNBA Draft and has signed a three-year deal with the WNBL’s Sydney Flames.

“For Shaneice, coming down to the South, which I dare say might be the strongest competition… For a player like Shaneice Swain who has shown glimpses in the WNBL and has been really strong in the NBL1 North conference, this is just her chance to show that she is ready and she is deserving of that full contract spot in the WNBL,” Hamilton said.

“She’s an absolute superstar with the Sydney Flames…So coming to Geelong is going to be really fun for her.”

Swain’s 2024 season with the women’s Geelong United squad starts on Sunday at 12:00pm AEDT against the Ballarat Miners. Watch the game live via NBL1.com.au and the NBL1 App.