July 26. That’s the date when the Paris Olympics will commence. It will be the biggest event that will feature all the top major athletes from different sports. One such baller who is unique in her gameplay is Sami Whitcomb. What attracts a lot of attention to Whitcomb is that she will ply her trade for Team Australia despite being born in America.

Hence, the enthusiasts are curious to know about the American-Australian star. And today, EssentiallySports brings a detailed article about Whitcomb and her life. The start of Whitcomb’s life is as interesting as her decision to shift to Australia.

Sami Whitcomb’s early steps

Whitcomb was born on July 20, 1988, to Jan and Sander Whitcomb in Ventura, California. Whitcomb used to play soccer as a child and took up the ball for a peculiar reason. Her parents Jan and Sander divorced when she was young. A desolate Whitcomb wanted to connect with her father and what better way than to play his favorite sport?

She persevered as a baller and developed into a fine one so that she could receive praise from her dad and make him proud. The two spent less time together and hence sports were important for Whitcomb. She believed her dad would give her more time if they played the games of one-on-one or H-O-R-S-E together.

Whitcomb’s wishes did materialize when her dad became her local YMCA coach. Her dad too reciprocated with his love for ball and gave Whitcomb constructive criticism while leaving her once at her mother’s home. This soon became a routine for the father-daughter duo. Not only did it give her the attention from her dad that she was looking for but also helped her improve her game. Whitcomb then went on to play in major leagues something that culminated in her adopting Australian citizenship.

Sami Whitcomb’s journey of trials

Whitcomb attended the Buena High School where she showed her exemplary talent. She was a letterwinner for all four years throughout high school and also the captain for a year. It was certainly her father’s coaching that had led her so far. However, basketball was not the only sport Whitcomb played.

The Ventura-born was also a letterwinner in track and field during her school days. All this showed that Whitcomb has the speed and the skill necessary to be a baller at the top level. She then decided to commit to the Washington Huskies. From 2006 to 10, Whitcomb plied her trade for the Washington Huskies. 

Throughout her four years at the University, Whitcomb showed sparks of brilliance. Her decent average of 13 points per game in the last year with 5.6 rebounds per game proved her mettle in both offense and defense. However, tragedy struck when Whitcomb went undrafted by the WNBA.

Whitcomb went through a tough time when she was undrafted in the WNBA in 2010. Most of the athletes would have thought that her time to play for the world’s biggest league was over. However, Whitcomb didn’t lose heart. She decided to ply her trade for some other league in the world.

At that time, Whitcomb thought of signing for a league in Switzerland. But she perceived that she would be missing out on strong competition which wouldn’t help her cause of playing for the WNBA which was her ultimate aim. She therefore made a move to the Damen-Basketball-Bundesliga in Germany.

Sami Whitcomb’s journey of love

Whitcomb soon started becoming a major player, and her talent was noticed by the world. In the 2012-13 season, she got a chance to play in the Australian league and that’s when things changed for her. In 2014, Whitcomb met another professional basketball player Kate Malpass. The two started to getting know each other better and eventually fell in love. And this also paved the path for Whitcomb to realize her balling dreams.

Her tenure with the Australian league also got her noticed as she got a chance to ply her trade for the Seattle Storm from 2017-20. By 2018, Whitcomb became an Australian Citizen. She has been living in Australia since 2013. The Opals also accepted Whitcomb with open arms. Hence, a country that accepted her marriage to Kate Malpass also gave Whitcomb the platform to play at the highest level.

Whitcomb helped the Opals win a silver and a bronze at the FIBA World Cup in Spain and Australia in 2018 and ’22 respectively, and another bronze at the FIBA Asia Cup in Jordan in 2021. As she did all this, Kate Malpass took care of their son Nash. And even today, Whitcomb must be thanking her stars for bringing her to Australia where she found her love and also the platform to compete at the national level.

Plus, as mentioned, it also got her noticed by the WNBA and since then she has played for the Seattle Storm and the New York Liberty bagging the championship title in 2018, and 2020. Whitcomb’s story is one of unending resilience and finding a way to fulfill her dreams. Hoping she inspires millions to pursue theirs and finally get what they have always wanted. And the fans will tune in to their TVs to see their favorite star making their Olympic debut.

Stay tuned for more such updates, and to follow what Shaq’s ex-agent, Leonard Armato, has to say about the infamous Shaq-Kobe feud, Caitlin Clark’s Olympic snub, and more, watch this video.