While it’s a privilege to have a team stacked with savvy veterans, you always need to keep an eye on the future to ensure continuity and longevity in a program. That’s why Perth Redbacks were thrilled to secure the signature of Nakia Bowen for the 2021 NBL1 season.
As NBL1 Director Nathan Barns notes:
“Nakia is part of our young guns who benefited from exposure at the West Coast Classic. We are excited to see what another year of progression can do for Nakia as she pushes for more minutes adds much valuable depth to our team.”
Head coach Craig Allen concurs:
“Nakia has big potential and she is a sponge when it comes to learning. She loves dissecting the game, developing her own skillsets and improving and progressing. Having finished school and able to take away the stresses of that environment, Nakia can spend even more time on her game. Given she has a huge upside, I can’t wait to see that improvement come through this season.”
Why did Nakia re-sign?
“I was new to the Redbacks last season after coming across from Perry Lakes so that was a bit of a change. But it felt like home the first day I got here, and everyone was super nice. I love it here; the coaches are awesome and I feel like we’ve got a really tight team. It’s a bit of a family feel so I’m excited to be coming back.”
Nakia really enjoyed the extra opportunities and development she got in the 2020 West Coast Classic games:
“I was forced to play more aggressively and learn how to adapt to a faster-paced game. Playing with and against people who were more experiences really helped build me as a player and the other rookie players too. We got some experience that we probably wouldn’t have in a normal SBL season and that also helped the coaches build a bit of trust – seeing that we could actually play against the bigger girls.”
What’s she most looking forward to in 2021?
“Having just finished school at the end of last year and starting my Fine Art studies at uni, I can now spend more time focusing mainly on basketball, training and getting better. I’m super excited about it because I know I’ll get stronger and smarter on the court.”