Canberra Capitals keen to re-sign Shaneice Swain after WNBA draft to LA Sparks

Swain made the leap from basketball obscurity to the big time on Tuesday when the Los Angeles Sparks backed the teenage sensation to be a star of the future.

The Sparks took Swain with pick No. 14 in the WNBA draft after a breakout season for the Capitals, where she averaged more than 14 points per game in her first year as a starter.

It opened the doors to a new world for Swain, who received messages from NBA great Magic Johnson and tennis icon Billie Jean King after she was selected in the second round.

But the Capitals are hoping the Cairns junior will play one or two more seasons in Canberra even though she will become one of the hottest players on the WNBL free agents list in the coming months.

Capitals coach Kristen Veal will speak with Swain's agent to discuss her future, while the 19-year-old will also be weighing up whether to go straight to LA this year, or wait 12 months like Canberra teammate Jade Melbourne.

"We're super keen to keep her," Veal said. "We've said from day one that we want her back and she was a big part of what we're building at the Caps and the vision that we've got for this group and this style.

"She fits into that and we're also a good fit for her, because we allow her to be herself, allow her to express herself. That's a part of the reason why she caught the eye of a lot of people this year because she's showing who she is.

"It's super exciting for her to get this opportunity. Talent wise, it's not a surprise. She's definitely got that potential and that talent to play in the WNBA.

"But to get there so quickly and in the fashion she has over the last year, it was magic. Couldn't be more impressed or proud of the kid."

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Swain starred at the Nike Hoops summit in Oregon over the weekend, scoring 19 points as part of Team World and enhancing her chances of being drafted.

She will link with former Canberra teammate Rae Burrell at the Sparks, while Melbourne will play for the Seattle Storm after delaying the start to her WNBA career.

It's been a rapid 18-month transformation for Swain, who came to Canberra to work with Veal in the Basketball Australia centre of excellence program at the AIS.

She ruptured her anterior cruciate ligament just weeks into her scholarship, but when she eventually got on the court it was clear she was a star of the future.

Swain signed with the Capitals as a development player for the 2021-22 season and saw limited minutes in her debut campaign, but she really turned heads when she got extended playing time this year.

She led the Capitals in scoring and played 26 minutes per game, earning a call up to Australian Opals training and putting her on the WNBA radar.

"We only had Shaneice for one day, but what you saw [she's] a future Opal. Very athletic and they had no fear, which I love," said Opals coach Sandy Brondello said.

"They're still learning the game, but that makes it really exciting."

Even so, Swain was a little-known prospect until being thrust on to centre stage in Tinsel Town. Johnson's tweet was viewed more than 79,000 times and King's was viewed more than 11,000 times.

"I guess the upside of the losing season we had was that a kid like Shaneice got her opportunity, and with that comes exposure," Veal said.

"If things had have gone differently, maybe that would've taken a couple of years. But she played big minutes and was our leading scorer ... in her second year. It was a really magical opportunity.

"Maybe what is surprising is how rapidly the opportunity came and it shows maturity, confidence and growth.

"She's just a natural athlete. And then she's just a really instinctive, skilful basketball player. There's a really cool package of natural talent and maximising that with professionalism, her IQ, connection with teammates."

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