Rangers a forever “home” for Puoch

Feature image via: Lauri Jean Photography 

2024 WNBA Draftee Nyadiew Puoch has called her NBL1 South team “home”, and will forever remain a Dandenong Ranger despite being drafted to the main stage.

 Puoch was the 12th pick in the historic 2024 WNBA Draft, selected by the Atlanta Dream, alongside fellow Australian and close friend, Isobel Borlase.

The 19-year-old forward has played with the Rangers since she was a junior and is thankful to grow up in a team alongside her family.

“It’s home for me, my family plays here. My sister plays in the NBL1, my brother plays in the men’s team, my younger siblings play in the junior teams as well. So it’s literally family here,” Puoch told NBL Media.

“I’m very fortunate to be able to grow up where I play my NBL1, where I played when I was a little girl.

“Ever since I touched the floor here, it’s just been home to me. Anyone that’s been around here, everyone that comes here, the community, they’re great.

“It’s a great club, I was playing here in juniors and now I’m playing in the seniors. So it’s good to come back and give back to them, and just be happy playing where I grew up.” 

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The last time two Australians were drafted in the WNBA was more than two decades ago, marking Puoch and Borlase’s pick-ups as significant in time in women’s basketball in Australia. 

At just 19, Puoch iterated the main lessons she’s learnt playing at a professional level so multiple years already, explaining she’s had to develop her basketball maturity and adapt quite quickly to the WNBL. 

“Obviously me being young, maturity comes when you get older. So obviously whatever was thrown at me I had to take it,” she said. 

“Being able to adapt to different situations and the environment and learning how to get through and it just keeps going.”

Puoch is coming off a championship season with the Southside Flyers, where she starred alongside Australian basketball great, Lauren Jackson. 

She’s currently averaging 19.9 points and 8.3 rebounds per game with the Rangers this season, and says she values her time in the NBL1 competition to step outside of her comfort zone.

 “Each game I’m trying to get better, I’m trying different things, I’m trying to work on things I don’t usually work on,” Puoch said. 

“I’m just doing things I’m not comfortable with and getting used to getting uncomfortable. 

“With our team, we’re very special that we can play defence, which leads to our offence. You don’t get that a lot from NBL1 teams because no one wants to play defence.

“We get on the court and we’re hustling, everyone plays a role.”

Pouch’s Rangers will next play the Diamond Valley Eagles on Saturday at 6:00pm AEST, streaming live via NBL1.com.au or the NBL1 App.