The injury bug is spreading its wings as it has drastically affected many players in the NCAA and is now reaching out to the players participating in the WNBL. It has been a quite prominent trend now that many WNBA players seek out opportunities outside of the league. But who knew this bug would sneak out to bite the players in the big leagues?

For instance, a recent matchup between two teams of the WNBL has provided a perfect scenario of player collisions being one of the most common causes of injuries.

The foreign knockout

In a recent WNBL matchup held on 25 February between the Sydney Uni Flames and Townsville, players Didi Richards and Zitina Aokuso encountered a sudden and painful collision as Richards banged into Aokuso while making a run to catch the ball. As a result, Aokuso collided with the advertising board and Richards having a double stumble fell behind the board onto the seats.

It was a heavy collision for both teams as both players couldn’t move from their place until they were helped by their team officials. Their teammates stormed towards them, assisting them until the attendants arrived. Even the cameramen refrained from replaying the incident, giving full attention to the situation then. Everyone, including the commentators, prayed and hoped for the two.

Aokuso lay on the floor holding her side hip rolling in pain, meanwhile, Richards limped along with a contingent of attendants. After some time Aokuso gathered the strength to get up, however, with the attendants’ help of course, and as the two got back up the audience clapped and cheered for them to boost their strength and confidence.

Suffering a painful injury in this one, Zitina Aokuso has been her team’s key player and has been averaging 12 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game.

On the other hand, Didi Richards too has been instrumental in Sydney’s success as she has been averaging 13.4 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 2 assists per game. Currently playing for the Sydney Uni Flames, Richards was drafted by WNBA’s New York Liberty as the 17th overall pick of the second round.

This insight gives origin to a common query that surfaces from time to time.

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Why do WNBA players seek professional opportunities outside of the league?

Several reasons compel WNBA players to explore opportunities in other leagues like WNBL. The first one is that playing abroad gives these players a chance to immerse themselves in new cultures and experience the sport in a new environment. Hence, they learn from diverse coaching styles and adapt to different playing conditions.

One of the major reasons players reach out to these leagues is due to the flexibility in roster construction and compensation, unlike WNBA which has a salary cap and strict roster limits. Notably, leagues like the WNBL provide higher salaries, housing, transportation, and additional perks. As a result, financial stability becomes an attractive aspect for some players.

The diverse options of leagues in Australia, Europe, and China provide a variety of opportunities to play against different opponents and experience different playing styles.

However, whatever league they play in, injuries linger overhead like a dark cloud.