19-year-old girl has become the first Māori to be drafted into the WNBA

Steven Adams was our first New Zealander to be drafted in the Top 20 and in another American basketball achievement, it has just been announced that the first Māori girl has been drafted into the WNBA.

It's just been announced that 19-year-old Tahlia Tupaea has been drafted into the WNBA, making her the first Māori to make it into that league. Talking to Māori Televsion Tupaea explains "My agent rung me the day of the draft and said that I got drafted so I was lucky last pick which was awesome. So I'm going to head over to America next year and go into training camp and just do the best I can so that I can make the roster".

Australian-born Tupaea, who is of Tainui descent, was drafted 36th by the Minnesota Lynx, will be unlikely to feature in the upcoming lineup as she has signed an extension with her Australian based team the Sydney Uni Flames, where she played a pivotal role in them winning the WNBL championship.