Alex Delaney still remembers the moment her destiny became crystal clear.
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One conversation would set the now 23-year-old Canberra Capitals prospect on a path towards the WNBL. One conversation would see her inherit the No. 14 jersey her mother forged a legacy in.
That's two-time WNBL champion and Sydney Flames great Gail Henderson, no less. Not that Delaney always had aspirations to follow in her mother's footsteps.
"I remember watching mum play a few times out at Sutherland when she was playing in what was probably the equivalent to the SEABL," Delaney said.
"Me and my sister were on the cheerleading team, and I used to say to mum and dad 'I want to be a cheerleader', and they were like 'no, no, no, you're going to be playing'.
"I was like 'no, what?'. I remember that, we were pretty young. We were always around the game. It was awesome.
"There's a bunch of photos of me being able to run out on the court with mum when she was playing in the league."
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So you can imagine the thrill when Delaney got the nod to join the Flames late last year before shifting to join the Capitals this season.
"When I got the call-up to play my first game, it was a dream come true," Delaney said.
"You grow up around the game all the time thinking that's where you want to be, but until it becomes a reality, it didn't really sink in.
"Mum and dad [Brian] have both been heavily been a part of me and my sister's lives, and it was super awesome we got to play for the same team. It was a really special day."
On Sunday she returns to the Sydney Uni Sports Centre on the other side of the halfway line, this time in Capitals colours.
Delaney and the Capitals will come out with a point to prove after finding themselves on the wrong end of a 35-point thrashing at the hands of the Melbourne Boomers to open the round.
Yet still, the sight of her smile at a midweek practice suggests there is nowhere Delaney would rather be than in Canberra as the Capitals close out a session with a game of King of the Court.
The smile only gets wider with every shot she drains.
That's not to say following the path paved by her family has always been easy - Delaney certainly can't get away with saying she had a good game even if she knows she hadn't.
"Oh no, god no," Delaney laughed.
"Mum and dad both used to coach me growing up, and I'd play terribly and it would be a long car ride home from the game, that's for sure.
"I'm very lucky. Both mum and dad played at a very high level so when I'm talking specifics about the game, they're telling me what they saw and I'm telling them what we saw.
"It can get pretty technical and heated fairly quickly, which is awesome. I can't imagine talking to mum and dad and them not knowing what I am talking about.
"They give me a lot of their knowledge and experience from what they've had going through. We can bounce ideas off them."
One thing Delaney knows for sure is just how proud they are.
I used to say to mum and dad 'I want to be a cheerleader', and they were like 'no, no, no, you're going to be playing'.
- Capitals player Alex Delaney
WNBL ROUND THREE
Sunday: Sydney Flames v Canberra Capitals at Sydney Uni Sports Centre, 2pm. Live stream on the WNBL website.