Agnes Emma-Nnopu – Athlete Interview
Agnes Emma-Nnopu is one of Australia’s rising basketball stars, known for her ruthless work ethic, defensive energy, and high-level achievements both on and off the court. Agnes was part of the 2021 Stanford University NCAA Championship-winning team, before transferring to TCU (Texas Christian University) to continue her development and complete her degree in Human Biology. After graduating in 2025, she returned to Australia, is currently playing NBL1 for the Knox Raiders and recently signed a three-year deal with the Sydney Flames in the WNBL.
Learn more about Agnes below:
Junior Basketball Career
From Ocean Grove to the World Stage: Can you share how growing up in a regional town and playing for Vic Country shaped your basketball dreams?
Growing up in Ocean Grove, basketball started as a way to stay active and make friends. I never imagined it would take me around the world. Early on, it was about community, but once I started going to tournaments outside of Ocean Grove and meeting kids from across the state, it started to feel much bigger. Suddenly, I had school friends and basketball friends.Being from a regional area, we had to travel a lot just to compete, but that also made every opportunity feel special. I definitely learned the value of hard work and sacrifice early on. College basketball honestly wasn’t even on my radar until I went on a USA tour with Basketball Victoria Country. We played against high school teams in the states, and visited some amazing college campuses. That trip completely changed my mindset, it’s where I realized I could get a degree and play the sport I loved at a high level. From that point on, I was all in. The idea of combining education, travel, and sport just felt like the perfect fit for me.
Basketball Influence: Do you have any family members or coaches who were a strong influence on your development from a young age?
There are definitely a lot of people who have shaped my journey, but two stand out the most: my mum and my AIS coach, Kristen Veal. My mum has been my biggest supporter from day one. She made countless sacrifices so I could chase my dreams, she also set the tone early that being a student-athlete meant exactly that: student and athlete. I owe a lot of my work ethic and values to her. Vealy obviously did a lot for me on the court, but off the court she was the first person who taught me that asking for help wasn’t a sign of weakness. She had incredibly high standards but always made space for learning and vulnerability, which helped me grow in ways I didn’t even realize I needed at the time.
Collegiate Career: Stanford & TCU
Stanford Success: Winning the NCAA National Title with Stanford in 2021 is a significant achievement. What was that experience like, and how did it impact your development as a player?
That experience was truly unlike anything else. The 2020–2021 season was extremely tough, COVID was still at its peak, and our team had to leave campus because the county Stanford was in was a hotspot. For most of the season, we were living out of hotels, which was mentally and emotionally draining as well as isolating. Winning the Natty under those circumstances was a massive testament to our resilience and unity as a group. Everything we had sacrificed and endured was more than worth it in that moment. From a personal standpoint, I was a freshman on one of the best teams in the country, so I wasn’t playing a lot. This challenged me to find other ways to contribute, being vocal on the bench, staying locked in during film sessions, and supporting my teammates in every way possible. It taught me a lot about selflessness, mental toughness, and what it means to be part of a championship culture, even when you’re not the one on the court making the big plays.
Transition to TCU: After three seasons at Stanford, you transferred to TCU. What motivated that decision, and how did the change influence your game?
Transferring was a tough decision. I had built strong relationships at Stanford, both in athletics and across campus, and I genuinely loved the community. But ultimately, I wanted to expand my game. At Stanford, I felt boxed into a specific role, mainly rebounding and defense. While those are important skills, coming out of high school, one of the biggest things coaches valued in me was my versatility. I wanted to get back to that. Transferring to TCU gave me that opportunity. I was able to work on areas of my game that had been underutilized, especially my three-point shooting. More importantly, it helped rebuild my confidence and reinforced that it’s okay to make changes when you feel you’ve outgrown your current situation.
TCU Highlights: At TCU, you were able to lead the team to its first ever Elite Eight appearance. What were the key factors behind that successful season?
The biggest factor was team chemistry. A large portion of our roster came through the transfer portal, so we were a mix of players from different programs, but we clicked instantly. We genuinely enjoyed being around each other, and that translated on the court. For many of us, it was our final year of college basketball, so there was this collective desire to make it last. Also there was a collective buy-in, egos were put to the side and everyone embraced their role, bought in, and played to their strengths. We had so many offensive weapons that it became a “pick your poison” situation for opponents, and playing was truly just a lot of fun.
Academic Pursuits: Balancing athletics and academics is challenging. How did you manage to complete your Human Biology Degree and Kinesiology Degree while excelling on the court?
Time management was everything for me. I’m big on staying organized, writing lists, planning ahead, and ticking things off as I go. I also never hesitated to ask for help. Whether it was professors, classmates, or my academic advisor, I made sure to speak up whenever I felt overwhelmed. You’d be surprised how willing people are to make accommodations and provide help when you are proactive.
Is it true that you are now a qualified doctor? Please elaborate:
Shaun’s got jokes! Not quite yet unfortunately. But I do plan to go to medical school one day and hopefully specialize in neurosurgery. Both of my parents work in the medical field, so I’ve grown up around healthcare and it’s always inspired me. I’ve always had a deep interest in the human body, especially the brain, and I also have a strong desire to help people. Medicine is definitely something I see in my future, and I’m excited for that next chapter when the time comes.
National Team Experience
Representing Australia: You’ve represented Australia at junior levels, securing medals at both the U17 and U19 World Cups. What did you learn from these experiences?
Playing for Australia was an incredible honor. It taught me the importance of embracing your role and how much value you can bring beyond just scoring. It also exposed me to the global game, different playing styles, strategies, and levels of physicality, which really helped expand my basketball IQ and my overall game. I definitely would not have gotten the collegiate experiences I did without these opportunities. More than anything, it reinforced how special it is to compete for something bigger than yourself.
Professional Career: Sydney Flames
WNBL Signing: Congratulations on signing a three-year deal with the Sydney Flames! What are your goals and expectations as you begin this new chapter in your basketball journey?
Thank you! Signing with the Flames is something I’m incredibly excited about! My goals are to keep growing as a player, to challenge myself against some of the best players in Australia, and ultimately help bring a championship to Sydney. Reintegrating myself back into the Australian basketball system is also a big goal, especially after spending so many years playing college ball. My expectation for myself is to work hard, compete every day, and finish each season as a more well-rounded player than when I started. Off the court, I’m looking forward to connecting with the Sydney community and using my platform to make a positive impact.
SRA Experience
How has the SRA program helped you become a better athlete?
I’ve been lucky enough to work with SRA since returning to Australia and even in a short amount of time, I’ve noticed a huge difference in how I move and feel on the court. I feel more mobile, explosive, and in control of my body during games and training. The programming has really helped me tap back into a part of my athleticism that I hadn’t felt in a while. Every exercise has purpose, and I’m seeing the results both physically and mentally. It’s also helped me reconnect with the importance of movement quality and injury prevention. Rather than just lifting for numbers, I’m lifting with precision, power, and longevity in mind. I’m becoming a more well-rounded athlete.
What makes the SRA program different to other programs you have seen or been part of before?
The biggest difference is how personalized it is. Before I even returned to Australia, Shaun reached out to me and we jumped on a zoom call to understand my goals, previous injuries, and what I wanted to focus on. That level of care from the start was huge. It allowed me to hit the ground running as soon as I returned and even gave me a few exercises to start doing straight away. The program is 100% tailored to me, my body, my sport, and where I’m at in the season. It’s not a generic plan, and adjustments are made in real time. The communication is ongoing, and I always know why I’m doing what I’m doing.
Personal Growth & Future Aspirations
Balancing Roles: As both a professional athlete and a graduate in Human Biology and Kinesiology, how do you balance these commitments? Do you see them working together at any point?
Definitely. I’ve already seen the benefits of my academic background in my own athletic career. Studying Human Biology and Kinesiology has given me a deeper understanding of how the body works, how to optimize my own performance, recovery, and longevity. Whether it’s understanding biomechanics, injury prevention, or how nutrition and inflammation affect performance, my education has helped me make more informed decisions as an athlete. Balancing both roles hasn’t always been easy, especially during college, but I truly believe the two areas complement each other perfectly, making the challenges worthwhile. Long-term I hope to continue to use my experience and knowledge to contribute to my own athletic performance, as well as to the medical field.
Long-term Goals: Looking ahead, do you have any aspirations or goals you are working towards with your basketball?
My two biggest long-term goals in basketball are to play in the WNBA and to represent my country at the Olympic Games. Those are the two goals that have been on my vision board for years. Beyond these two goals, I also want to look back on my basketball career and feel proud, not just of what I accomplished, but of the person I became in the process. I want to leave the sport as a leader, a great teammate, and someone who always gave 100% regardless of the circumstances. And hopefully be a story that inspires young athletes, especially girls from regional towns, to believe that big dreams are possible no matter where you come from. Lastly, I hope to leverage basketball as a platform to give back, whether it’s through mentoring, camps, or eventually combining my sport and academic background to support athlete health and development off the court.
What do you feel like you need to work on to achieve these goals?
To get to where I want to go, I definitely need to keep evolving, mentally, physically, and skill wise. That all starts with continuing to be a student of the game. The best players in the world are constantly learning, adapting, and refining their craft. I’ve also been focusing a lot on injury prevention, recovery, and overall longevity. Incorporating pilates, strength training, mobility work, and focusing on recovery has helped me stay durable across long seasons.That’s going to be critical for extending my career and performing at the highest levels.
Advice to Aspiring Athletes: What advice would you offer young athletes, especially those from regional towns aiming to pursue a basketball career at collegiate or professional levels?
Basketball has taught me patience and discipline. Basketball can be frustrating at times and can find yourself in a place where things are not in your control. It is important to accept that, and keep working hard whilst maintaining a healthy life in all aspects, not just basketball.
If you could give any advice you younger athletes what would it be?
Advice I’d give to younger athletes would be to be the best version of yourself you can be, which includes being the best teammate you can be; you never know who is watching, and how this can affect you in the future.
- Keep your options open, on and off the court. Focus on both your athletic and academic development. You don’t need to know your exact path right away, but doing your best in school gives you more opportunities down the line. Good grades and work ethic matter just as much as athletic talent.
- Learn to balance and ask for help. Being a student-athlete means managing time, pressure, and expectations. Learn to balance training, school, and your social life. Don’t be afraid to lean on your support system, coaches, teachers, family, and friends. Communicate your struggles early so they can help you navigate them.
- Be present, stay grounded, and keep perspective.
Enjoy the process and take pride in the small wins. Mistakes happen, it’s part of the game. Don’t let them consume you. Confidence, humility, and consistency will take you far, both in sport and in life.
Epilogue
Working alongside Agnes since her return to Australia has been a privilege. Agnes is a workhorse who is willing to do anything in the gym and on the court to improve her craft. She is an athlete with championship experience and a mindset dedicated to winning.
In the gym, our focus with Agnes has been to increase her mobility and movement literacy on the court. Agnes is an athlete with a lot of natural instinct especially when it comes to reading the play off the ball and hustling after rebounds. By adding layers to her movement library, Agnes has been able to work harder for longer and improve her repeat efforts on the court.
What excites me most is knowing this is only the beginning. Agnes has the talent, mindset, and work ethic to play basketball at a really high level and I am looking forward to supporting Agnes with these goals as her professional career begins in Sydney.
Shaun Atkins – Director of SRA Sports Therapy