Athlete Interview: Abbey Ellis

Athlete Interview: Abbey Ellis

Abbey Ellis is a professional basketball athlete who currently plays in the WNBL for Townsville Fire. Her basketball journey started way back in 2008 at Bulleen Boomers and has taken her across the world to the university of California Polytechnic and Purdue University in Indiana. More recently Abbey made her Australian Opals debut in the Trans Tasman Throwdown against New Zealand.

Learn more about Abbey below:

Basketball Journey:

Growing up in Melbourne, what drew you to the game of basketball?
I think what drew me to basketball was the popularity of the game with friends and family. It felt like everyone was playing basketball at school, so I was keen to jump in. I was playing netball at the time and my mum played competitive basketball growing up, so she was keen to put me into the game!

Can you share any memories from your time at Our Lady of Mercy College or your time representing Victoria in the U16 Junior Championships?
Winning your first national championship is pretty special, furthermore, winning with a team where everyone is friends and having fun. It was also a blessing to play in Victoria, so family and friends were able to come watch.

How do you feel your experiences in netball have influenced your basketball skills and athletic development?
I think netball has played a large role in helping me with my basketball, specifically when it comes to footwork and agility. I am also undersized in netball, so speed and fast change of movement was vital in succeeding in both sports.

College Basketball:

Tell us about your decision to play college basketball and what you learnt from the experience:
I had always wanted to go play college since watching March Madness on ESPN as a teenager. I wanted to be part of that basketball community and embrace the love for the sport at a whole new level. The main thing I have learned from this experience was that it is so important to always advocate for yourself and let your voice be heard. There are always challenging times, so it is vital to speak your truth even through controversy for your benefit as an individual.

How did you go about the recruiting process and choosing a school that was right for you?
I was able to be recruited through ATC academy, where we took a team over to the USA to compete and AAU tournaments and be seen by college coaches live. This allowed coaches to reach out to both my manager and I so zoom calls and messages could be had to gain knowledge about schools and their programs. I chose the schools based on many things, but the most important was the coaches’ player development philosophy, quality of competition, quality of teammates and overall college campus safety and academics.

Do you have any advice for junior athletes interested in playing college basketball?
Some advice I’d give to athletes would be to do your research on the coaches and team that you are interested in; see how you would fit into that team and what your role realistically looks like.

Return To Australia:

Tell us about your transition back to Australian basketball and playing for Townsville Fire in the WNBL:
Graduating from Purdue and coming back to Australia, I always knew I wanted to play WNBL. Being signed with the Fire under Shannon was an amazing opportunity and I learned so much across my first season. Being a rookie, I felt like I was a bit behind in terms of physicality and playing more of an aussie style system on both ends. However, Shannon, my teammates and myself worked really hard during the preseason and season to work on these aspects which helped with the team and individual success for the 2024/25 season.

In 2025, you were named the WNBL Breakout Player of the Year, what does this mean to you and what factors do you contribute towards your success?
This award was very important to me as it reflects how the hard work doesn’t go unrecognized. It was a big jump for me, and everyone in Townsville was so supportive in terms of assisting me in this role I played in the team. This award also reflects the team’s success and how we were able to use everyone’s strength and turn it into winning games.

Tell us a little about the insight of being coached by Shannon Seebohm who many regard as the “Basketball Genius” in the Australian Women’s game:
Shannon has one of the best basketball minds I have been coached under. The way he pays attention to such detail, and is then able to break things down and build it up for us players, allows us to succeed both individually and as a team. As a point guard, he was able to develop so many aspects of my game, even if it is just a simple comment, can change so much. I am very lucky to be coached by him.

Becoming An Opal:

Tell us about the moment you got the phone call about being invited to training camp with the Australian Opals:
I was not expecting that phone call at all. I had gotten a text from Shannon to call him ASAP but I was playing NBL1 so it was late at night. I thought he wanted to chat about the game or just check in. It was pretty cool, I was very excited and could barely sleep that night. It was also super cool to tell my parents who were very happy for me.

Tell us about the experience of being selected for the team and making your debut against New Zealand in the most recent Trans Tasman Throwdown:
Getting the call from Sandy was awesome, I felt like it was a full circle moment for me as a basketball player, as this is what I have worked for my whole life. It was a cool moment wearing the Australian jersey on home soil in front of my friends and family. I was a bit nervous, but also super excited to bring energy and play with and against such amazing players.

As a Point Guard, how do you balance leading the team while also adapting to new systems, playing styles and teammates in such short preparation?
I think it is really important to ask questions to your coaches and/or senior players that will help you understand and develop into these new systems and styles. It is also important to mentally be locked in when learning these new adaptations and embrace the change, because it is just developing you as a basketball player.

Mindset & Personal Growth:

Being an undersized guard in basketball comes with its own challenges. How have you leveraged this and turned it into one of your strengths?
Being a shorter Point Guard, speed and change of direction is vital to my game. This helps me to blow by players and create for myself and teammates. Overtime, you learn how to manoeuvre in ways especially against taller players, using counter moves and change of speed.

What mental strategies or routines do you practice to maintain focus and confidence during high pressure situations or games?
In high pressure experiences, I just remind myself that nothing changes. Play the same way, same style of basketball even if things aren’t going the right way. It is always important to play hard but controlled, which I have learned over many experiences.

SRA Experience:

Tell us about your experience at SRA:
My SRA experience has been nothing short of professional and effective. In a short time, I have seen improvement physically in not just strength, but also power, mobility, balance and overall muscle. With continuous check ups, meetings, testing and communication, my body feels like it is able to be challenged but still get results.

What do you think makes SRA different from most other Athlete Development & Injury Rehabilitation Facilities?
Shaun and SRA are consistent with communication and individualisation of the athlete. I feel like my program and rehab is tailored to me and how my body and mind is feeling. Also allowing for flexibility week by week, as for a professional basketball player, every week is different and so it is important to be taken care of.

Reflection, Goal Setting & Advice:

Looking ahead, what goals have you set for yourself?
Goals for the future would definitely be to make another Australian Opals squad and gain more experience at a national level. I think a major/biggest goal to achieve would be to become an Olympian or make a world cup team.

What life lessons have you learnt from basketball?
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.

Epilogue

Abbey Ellis joined the SRA program after a very successful campaign with the Townsville Fire. During our initial performance meeting it was clear that Abbey carries herself with great pride, work ethic and drive to be better every single day.

Abbey should be seen as an inspiration to many young aspiring athletes and is a great role model who has worked hard for everything she has achieved.

It was rewarding to see Abbey earn her Opals debut earlier this year but what was even more impressive was her professionalism and desire to make the most of this opportunity.

In the gym, Abbey is a super fast and explosive athlete, what separates her on court performance is her basketball IQ and speed which she has worked on for many years.

Her background in netball is one that has helped develop footwork, agility and awareness on the court.

We are excited to continue working with Abbey as works towards bigger goals on and off the court.

Shaun Atkins – Director of SRA Sports Therapy