SHE’S been identified as a future Opal and WNBA player but for the second year running star guard Tahlia Tupaea will be stuck in the stands for most of the WNBL season.
The 20-year-old basketballer, the second youngest debutant in WNBL history at age 15 and 133 days, has undergone surgery for the second time in less than a year after fracturing her fifth metatarsal again.
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The injury is a major blow to the young starter expected to play a pivotal role with defending WNBL champions, the Sydney Uni Flames, this season.
But Tupaea says her aim is to make it back on court for at least a few games at the back end of the shortened 2017/2018 WNBL season which starts in October and winds up at the end of January.
“I had surgery on my foot again, in the fifth metatarsal, the one I broke last year. it was a new crack that had happened,” said Tupaea, who was selected by the Minnesota Lynx with the 36th overall pick in the 2017 WNBA Draft.
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“I’ve had a new pin and bone graft.
“They don’t know what’s it’s from, maybe overload, maybe just unlucky.”
Tupaea said her immediate goal is to pull on a uniform by December.
“I’m hoping to get a few games in at least,” she said.
The Flames are yet to confirm who will replace Tupaea as they continue preparations for the start of their season on October 6 against Adelaide.
The Flame have a tough opening to the season with the side travelling from Adelaide to Perth for its second game of round one on October 8.
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