Maley credits her Opals success to Eltham

By Lachlan Everett for NBL1.com.au

In the past 12 months, Anneli Maley has won the WNBL MVP, made her WNBA debut with the Chicago Sky, won silver in the FIBA 3x3 Asia Cup and won a bronze medal in the FIBA Women’s World Cup; and she said that all happened because of the Eltham Wildcats. 

Growing up in Eltham, Maley said she spent more time at the local high school courts than she did at home. Through COVID she had access to the original courts she practiced on, tackling them with the same tenacity she did as a junior. 

“It's easy for people from the outside to see my last year and be like, ‘wow, what a successful year you've had’. But all that work that I've put in hasn't just been in the last year, it's been like five-to-six years in the making that led up to the one successful year that I've had,” she said. 

“I think that the really important times, like during COVID, when I was able to use the courts at Eltham every single day. The Wildcats supported me, allowing me to continue to train and I would go in there with Marena [Whittle] for literally four hours a day. To work on my skills and to keep everything kind of fresh and up to date during the cancelled season. 

“I think that those are the times that we forget to talk about, the work that we put in when people aren't watching. Like no one was keeping tabs on how many sessions I was doing during the week in COVID.” 

Anneli Maley went big in Eltham's 38-point win ?

? 13 points
? 15 rebounds
? 11 assists
? 4 steals

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— NBL1 (@NBL1) August 14, 2022

Maley said the club was an integral part of her journey to the World Cup, the dream of being an Opals was created as a junior player while playing domestically for Eltham. 

“Like, that's where the dream is planted. You know, at some point in my life, I decided I wanted to be an Opal. And it was while I was playing for Eltham Wildcats as a bloody five-year-old,” she said. 

“I've had a couple of moments over the last year where I've had to sit back and really convinced myself that this isn't a simulation. Because how are all my dreams coming true at this point? Like, I've manifested this incredible life and yeah, I put in the work, but there's no way that I would have believed myself if I told myself even two years ago that I was gonna get to play with LJ [Lauren Jackson].” 

Maley and Jackson hugging at the 2022 FIBA Women's World Cup medal ceremony 

Maley wasn’t the only Wildcat represented in the World Cup, as technical officials and a photographer from Eltham all were involved in the event in Sydney. 

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Maley says it was a fulfilling experience seeing the club and people who have supported her throughout her life get to experience the world's best basketball alongside her.

“There are things in your life that are really full circle moments, the fact that I get to see people from Eltham, and even some kids that I've coached there come up and watch me at the World Cup. That was the most special thing ever,” Maley said. 

“I was them, I see them, I am them. Everyone from Eltham Wildcats basketball club helped build me as a basketball player but also raised me as a person. So I just think that I've come from this club that really cares about the people and you know, cares about you. They're really holistic in their approach and doing so like we've been incredible.” 

Maley expressed how much her club means to her, she explained how she was proud to be involved in the club introducing a mental health program and being the first NBL1 team to host a rride round this season. 

“Those things make me proud to be from Eltham,” Maley said. 

Via Rachel Louise Photography: Anneli Maley speaking in Eltham's NBL1 pride round. 

Every basketball player starts their journey somewhere, but Anneli Maley has entrenched herself with the Eltham Wildcats and still sees herself wearing the old junior uniform every time she steps onto a professional court. 

“More to the point, I still am in my heart that five-year-old in shoes too big for her wearing a sweatband and stepping out on the Eltham domestic court for the first time. That part of me lives within me and will continue to live with me for as long as I play.”