Perth Lynx guard Georgia Amoore credits a phone call from injured superstar Sami Whitcomb for swaying her decision to reject a contract in China and move to the WNBL.

Amoore is one of Australia’s hottest rising stars having been selected at pick six in the 2025 WNBA draft. Clubs from throughout the country were chasing her signature, but were all told she wouldn’t be coming home.

Yet when Whitcomb’s knee injury forced her to withdraw from a Perth contract, the Australian Opals star changed Amoore’s mind.

“I was pretty much closing in on a China deal,” Amoore told The West Australian.

“I was waiting for the contract to come through to my agent. Then Sami messaged me on a random night. We were on a road trip, and told her I was waiting on the contract from China. I told her no, and then that night I was thinking about it and it just seemed so appealing.

“I started looking at the people who have played for not only Perth Lynx but in the WNBL and there’s a lot of good guards. I thought it might be a breeding ground and everything with this team was ticking boxes.

“So I messaged Sami back and asked for the coach’s number.”

Having also been told Amoore wasn’t available, coach Ryan Petrik initially thought the message about her wanting to join the Lynx was a prank. He wasted little time getting a contract locked away.

Amoore only started training with the Lynx this week after her WNBA season finished but will lead the team in a grand final re-match against Townsville Fire at Perth High performance Centre on Saturday.

Her arrival has come with hype, but she’s embracing the pressure.

“There’s always going to be expectations but I feel like every kind of situation I’ve faced, I’ve stepped up to the plate,” she said.