Basketball
24 June, 2025
Bibby sparkles in WNBA debut
Five days after officially rejoining the club with which she had trained preseason, Chloe Bibby has made her debut in the world's premier women's basketball league, the WNBA.
And what a debut it was: not only did Bibby step onto the court on Thursday evening for her first regular-season game wearing Golden State Valkyries colours but the former Warracknabeal local shot 12 points in her side's 11-point win.
Playing as a reserve against Indiana Fever at the Valkyries' home stadium in San Francisco, California, on June 19 in the US, the 6'2" forward found the basket four times in her 24 minutes on the court.
Her impressive shooting included a jump shot from 26 feet out – the equal-longest of the night for the Valkyries.
She also contributed a steal, an assist and three rebounds.
In a summary headed "Bibby impactful off the bench", the WNBA website reported in its wrap-up: "Chloe Bibby played in her first WNBA game and scored her first career points on Thursday.
"Bibby's first career bucket came off a dive and seal at the rim for a layup.
"She then showcased her range, sinking two catch-and-shoot threes, which gave her eight points in her first nine minutes.
"Bibby finished with 12 points on 4-for-9 shooting in 24 minutes."
Having released Bibby from their roster only weeks earlier, the Valkyries announced her re-signing on Sunday June 15 – the day of her 27th birthday.
She did not join the team for its roadtrip to Dallas, Texas, on Wednesday as foreshadowed by the club but instead lined up for the first of five straight home games at Balhalla, as the Valkyries' base in San Francisco is known.
After defeating Indiana on Thursday the newly established Valkyries sit sixth on the league ladder in their inaugural WNBA season with six wins and six losses and are fourth overall in the seven-team western conference.
They were drawn to play Connecticut Sun yesterday Australian time, and will face New York Liberty, Chicago Sky and Seattle Storm in the coming days before returning to the road in the first week of July.
Her success with the Valkyries comes off the back of Bibby having been voted most valuable player in the Polish and Spanish national leagues in her past two Northern Hemisphere winters in Europe.
Previously, the Australian Opals member attended college in the US where she represented both Mississippi State University and the University of Maryland.
