The Opals have a new captain.
Ezi Magbegor has been named as Opals captain and will lead Australia into the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup.
The announcement was made by Head Coach, Sandy Brondello on Wednesday in Berlin, delivered to the team as preparations heighten ahead of Puerto Rico.
Brondello spoke of the evolution of Ezi who will become the 15th Opal in history to captain the team into a major tournament.
“Ezi and I have been on a very long journey together. She made her first Opals team as an 18-year-old in 2018. It’s been an amazing career, just to watch her evolve as a player but also the leader she is,” said Brondello.
“I know she is going to lead this team the right way, just like our former captains have in Sami and Madge.”
In Magbegor’s first words to the group as captain, she acknowledged the ones that came before her.
“I think the cool thing for me has been seeing all the different leadership styles in Sami (Whitcomb) and in Tess (Madgen) and everyone in this room. I’m grateful for the fact that I didn’t have to change who I was in order to be seen as a leader,” said Magbegor.
A central piece in fabric of Opals culture is the collective drive that binds the group, in success but also through adversity.
The team will undoubtedly face both of these elements in the days and games ahead, but Magbegor will be well supported by a dynamic leadership group featuring Alanna Smith, Steph Talbot and Jade Melbourne.
“I’m just very grateful that you guys believe in me and trust in me and I’m not going to change, I’m just going to be who I am. I’m here for everyone.”
THE JOURNEY OF EZI
Magbegor emerged as a promising junior through the Basketball Victoria and the Centre of Excellence pathway and first represented Australia internationally at 15.
She signed her first professional contract with the Melbourne Boomers and represented the Opals for the first time in 2018. A year later, Seattle were calling her name at Pick 12 in the WNBA Draft.
Since then, Magbegor has been named on the WNBA All-Defensive Team three times (2022, 2023, 2025), the WNBA All Defensive First Team in 2024 and has reached the lofty heights of WNBA Champion (2020) and WNBA All Star (2023).
As impressive as her professional journey has been. Her contribution to Australia is what makes her captain material.
Ezi has been a part of seven FIBA campaigns for the Opals since her debut eight years ago.
This run includes five major tournaments. Two Olympics Games (2020, 2024) and two (soon to be three) FIBA World Cup campaigns (2018, 2022, 2026).
Magbegor has always been a dangerous two-way player, but if there was a single game that displayed her action-orientated style of leadership, it was the Opals bronze medal game at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
After a quietish start through the group stages, Ezi turned it on when it mattered most against Belgium with 30 points, 13 rebounds, three assists to drive Australia onto the podium.
Magbegor now gets the unique opportunity to lead Australia onto the brightest of stages. And the Opals will be ready for it.
