Wehrung joins a Capitals rosters that includes leading Australian women's basketballer Lauren Jackson and Jackson's fellow Seattle Storm WNBA championship player Abby Bishop.

[Ballarat's Abbey Wehrung has signed with WNBL club Canberra Capitals. Photo: Jeffrey Chan, Canberra Times]

Ballarat's Abbey Wehrung has signed with WNBL club Canberra Capitals. Photo: Jeffrey Chan, Canberra Times

Former Australian women's coach Carrie Graf, who led the Opals to London Olympic bronze, is at the Capitals' helm.

Wehrung, 18, has already started training as an understudy to Capitals recruit, experienced international Kristen Veal, and the developing point guard quipped that she would do her best to give Jackson orders, but "it might be a bit tricky".

"I'm really excited to join the Capitals, I already feel like I'm learning so much off the older girls and younger girls," Wehrung said.

"Hopefully I can bring energy and youthfulness to the team, I'm in a learning role at the moment.

"...I was a bit nervous to begin with, but now that has turned into excitement."

The 18-year-old fellows in the footsteps of Ballarat's Kellie Abrams, a six-time WNBL championship player and Capitals captain.

Wehrung, from Korweinguboora, worked her way through the Ballarat junior representative program before joining the Australian Institute of Sport.

She opted to return home to the Minerdome last year between AIS duties for exposure in the South East Australian Basketball League.

Wehrung captured attention for call-ups to an Emerging Opals tour of China and an invitational Victorian team to play in the WNBL Spring Shield pre-season tournament.

But a stand-out season with Rush this year really reinforced Wehrung as a player to watch.

Wehrung earned an average 33 minutes on the floor, tag-teaming with Bronte Clark as point guard. Her improvement week to week was impressive.

Coach Graf was already a big rap for Wehrung on and off the court.

"She's got great size for a point guard, that's the spot for her in the WNBL and as a potential professional and Opal, " Graf said.

"Already in a week of practice her decision making is spot on, she takes the right shots, she's got some grit about her and her assertiveness and confidence in calling the shots will grow as she keeps playing.

"My view is if they're good enough, they're old enough. Being 18 or 19 shouldn't hold her back from being a starter."

Rush coach Peter Cunningham said Wehrung worked hard to earn her WNBL chance and tipped she would make a largely unexpected great impact.

"Most people forget she's only 18...in my view, she'll be a surprise up there when she starts to hit the floor and will bring great qualities to training," Cunningham said.

"The development of her game in confidence and aggression from the start of the year has been fantastic.

"She never misses a weights session, does her own extra training and is always driving everyone to extra shooting practice"

Cunningham said Wehrung was a great role model as an athlete and person for women's sport in Ballarat and hoped she would spur more junior basketballers to follow her lead.

- with Canberra Times