“If I was purely basketball, it wouldn't work”: how Abbey Wehrung found balance

By staying true to her country upbringing, the Bendigo spirit guard has developed into one of the league's most valuable role players

Photo credit: Image supplied / Instagram - @fortbendfilmclub

Last season, Abbey Wehrung was a key piece of the historically great Bendigo Spirit team which compiled an 18-3 regular season record and then romped through the finals without dropping a game.

Wehrung earned the WNBL Sixth Woman of the Year award for her contributions and averaged 7.7 points and 2.1 rebounds per game, and finished with a career-best +/- of 5.6.

Throw in her exceptional perimeter defence and accurate long-range shooting (38.9% on three-pointers) and you have the archetype of a player every coach loves to have, the consummate role player who can positively impact a game without needing the ball much.

You might think that Wehrung spends every waking second playing, training and breathing basketball in a bid to get the most out of her talent.

But you’d be wrong.