A rollercoaster season will reach another peak for Chloe Bibby when the WNBA playoffs begin this weekend.
In April, the 28-year-old Australian Opal was selected by new franchise Portland Fire in the expansion draft. Tthe following month she was traded to Phoenix Mercury then waived two days later due to a niggling knee injury.
The athletic forward with a penchant for the three-ball returned to Australia and spent time with her family in the regional Victorian city of Ballarat before earning a deal with Chicago then weeks later landing a rest-of-season contract with Minnesota Lynx who will finish the regular season as top seed.
"It's obviously been a whirlwind but an exciting one, the one that you want," Bibby told ESPN from the United States on Thursday.
"After the early setbacks, the first goal was to get back over to America. Having a month in Chicago was all awesome, everything was great, I really didn't expect the top team to then say 'Hey, come over here!'
"My career has been about staying ready and whenever I get an opportunity to go out there and give it a crack I've never left anything out there. I've always had that mentality from the jump, it comes naturally and I'm always ready and have got into that rhythm. I'm always grateful to be here but I also have the confidence in myself and my ability."
Bibby is one of eight Aussies involved in the postseason alongside Isobel Borlase (Atlanta Dream), Alanna Smith (Dallas Wings), Miela Sowah (Golden State Valkyries), Steph Talbot (Las Vegas Aces), New York Liberty pair Anneli Maley and Bec Allen and Washington Mystics' Georgia Amoore.
The only team without an Aussie suited up will be the Indiana Fever but the links are still strong with former Opal Tully Bevilaqua on the coaching staff.
Even before the playoffs begin, Bibby has already experienced quite the month.
Earlier in September, she represented the Opals at the FIBA World Cup in Germany where she played in a major tournament for Australia. In a campaign plagued by injury, to Alanna Smith and Ezi Magbegor, illness also hit the squad with several players including Bibby struck down.
On Wednesday, she posted a WNBA-career high 15 points, including five triples, when she was injected into Minnesota's game against the Fever, who Bibby played for in 2025.
"We didn't start the game great and used the opportunity to give the starters a rest but that was a lot of fun for me to have a crack, get out there and show what I can do," she said.
"It was also great to do it in front of my parents, they haven't seen me play in America before in the W so it was cool to have them there for that."
A 32-win regular campaign has the Lynx top of the league and striving for the title that eluded them in 2024 against a Sandy Brondello-coached New York Liberty.
Minnesota's last title came in 2017. In 2026, they are being paced by superstar rookie Olivia Miles, who is eighth in the league for scoring with 19.8 points per game, Kayla McBride (averaging 17.5 points, 3 rebounds and 2.2 assists) and Napheesa Collier fresh from the USA's World Cup triumph.
"It's a great team, there's Olivia Miles, the talent is crazy and the shotmaking is off the charts. It's a lot of fun to be a part of, fun to watch and I think that's what makes it so exciting and the playoff run so exciting," Bibby explained.
"Every team is so deep and has so much talent, the skills and shotmaking ability with the efficiency is crazy. I think one through eight, all the playoff games are going to be tough, next level and it's really exciting for the W.
"I think the year I've had and with everything that's happened, to win a championship would be insane and really top it off. I'm excited for all of it. Last year, when I was with the Fever, I was injured so I'm happy to be here and healthy."
The WNBA's first round and semifinals are a best-of-three format before a seven-game Finals series, to determine the 2026 champion, beginning on October 17.
