Canberra coach Paul Goriss says three-time WNBL all star Leilani Mitchell is the recruitment coup that will make rivals take notice of the Capitals.
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The Capitals have announced Mitchell has joined the club on a one-year deal, linking up with Kelsey Griffin and Lauren Scherf as the only players on Goriss' roster.
Championship-winner Mitchell is the point guard Goriss can build a team around with more key signings on the horizon as Canberra look to snap a seven-year finals drought.
Goriss believes he is building a winning culture in Canberra with the recruitment of Mitchell and Griffin, who have both won titles and WNBL finals most valuable player awards.
Mitchell's recruitment means Canberra's reigning MVP and former captain Nat Hurst is unlikely to return, with the 34-year-old potentially eyeing another deal in Europe.
"Teams are going to be now taking notice of the Capitals and we're putting pressure on ourselves," Goriss said.
"We want to be top four and we want to be a championship contender. With that comes pressure, but with that you recruit great players and you've got to get great results. It's exciting for us that we're building a core group that can contend.
"It's great for the Capitals to bring on board someone of Leilani's pedigree and calibre to lead our team at the point guard position. Getting her is truly a step in the right direction of trying to crack into the top four.
"Looking back at the history of WNBL teams that have been successful, they've always had two legitimate Opals players and Australian representatives in their squad.
"Having Leilani suit up beside Kelsey gives us some scoring firepower and gives us two legitimate Opals stars that are going to be playing for the Capitals. That bodes well for us trying to break that drought."
Mitchell has a hectic schedule ahead once she finishes her stint with Turkish club Hatay, where she is averaging 13 points and four assists per game.
She will link up with the Phoenix Mercury in May to play in the WNBA before she returns to Canberra for the WNBL season, which is slated to begin in mid-October.
Basketball Australia and Fox Sports are open to a longer season which could see finals played in February, as opposed to finishing in mid-January as was the case in 2017-18.
The season could start later in October because the world championships won't finish until the beginning of the month, with Basketball Australia wary of giving players adequate time to prepare for the WNBL opener.
