Nyadiew Puoch was dolled up in a designer dress at the WNBA draft in New York when her basketball dream was realised two years ago.
Fast forward to early this morning and the 21-year-old was wearing pyjamas while watching the WNBA Expansion Draft on TV from her mum’s bed alongside her siblings as she was selected by new franchise Portland Fire.
In recent weeks, the Melbourne-born athletic forward had been finalising her visa, ready to head to the US and join the Atlanta Dream, who selected her with pick No.12, after opting not to make the leap in the past two seasons.
But when her agent Sammy Wloszczowski started ringing and messaging her phone on Saturday morning, as Puoch was enjoying an Easter Saturday sleep in, things quickly changed.
“Everything happened so quickly, as it does on draft day. I’d spoken to the Atlanta coach [Karl Smesko] a few weeks ago and was preparing to go there and then it changed real quick,” she told ESPN.
“Sammy was calling about 5.30am and texting saying: ‘I know it’s really early there but you need to get up!’
“I’m excited. It’s all new for me going to the WNBA for the first time but it will be new for all of us at a brand-new team.”
Following the April 2024 draft, Puoch, already a WNBL champion with the Southside Flyers, moved to Canberra to join the Capitals and play under Paul Goriss, a former Dream assistant and current Australian Opals associate head coach.
She averaged 11 points, four rebounds, one steal and one block in the recently completed season and produced one of the highlights of the 2025-26 campaign when she sunk a stunning half-court game-winner against eventual Grand Finalist Perth back in January.
Now, she feels ready for the WNBA.
“I do. It’s like ‘let’s just go over and see what happens’. I’m only 21 but I have been playing in the WNBL, against the best players, for a while now and I’m excited to take the next step and challenge myself.”
Goriss says Puoch has evolved into a true pro after arriving in the nation’s capital as a raw teen.
“Her work ethic and commitment to being a pro has really taken a leap from year one with us in Canberra to year two.
“The time and effort she put in last off-season was significant. She got into the gym more, she was lifting more, she was getting work done on her shooting while she was home in Melbourne.
“Nards has been really committed to putting in the time to making herself better to be ready for this opportunity.”
Puoch won’t be the only Aussie to land in Portland.
After playing for the Golden State Valkyries in their inaugural year in 2025, then going on to finish the season with the Indiana Fever alongside Caitlin Clark, Chloe Bibby moves to another new outfit in the Fire.
The 27-year-old, part of last year’s Asia Cup triumph in China, is currently playing for Spanish outfit Spar Girona in Euro League.
Paris Olympic bronze medallist Kristy Wallace was also taken in the franchise draft on Saturday, picked up by Sandy Brondello’s Toronto Tempo, and is on track to play her first WNBA game in more than two years.
Wallace battled injury post Olympics, missed the back end of the 2024 WNBA season and didn’t return to the Fever last year.
The dynamic guard is currently representing the Australian Gangurrus at the FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup in Singapore.
