'Doesn't sound real': Rising Gem's surreal green and gold career

• ‍Madi Ryan is a clear and present danger for Gems‍
• How the Aussie Gems took the world by storm‍
• By the Numbers: Australian Gems player snapshot

She may only be 16-years-old but already Madi Ryan is a star in the green and gold.

The Victorian young gun joined two-time WNBL champion Bec Cole on the latest edition of 'It's a Cole World' after capping-off a year, which included a FIBA Under-19 World Cup silver medal with the Gems and a FIBA Under-16 Asia Cup gold, by leading Australia to a dominant FIBA Under-17 Oceania Championships tournament earlier this month.

It's been a 2025 to remember for Ryan after playing in an under-18 national championship for Victoria Metro alongside fellow rising stars such as Sitaya Fagan.

The versatile 6'1" Sandringham Sabres talent - who can play every position on the floor - spoke to Cole about her recent experiences representing the green and gold, starting with a memorable first under-17s World Cup in Mexico in 2024.

"I'm always speechless when talking about (making my first World Cup team) because it's just so cool," Ryan told basketball.com.au.

"The opportunity to put the green and gold on for your country the first time is just such an eye-opening experience and it couldn't have been any better.

"It was really nerve-racking, I was just happy to be there, when I made the team, I was like 'this is sick'. Then to actually get there and play and do well, I was like 'this is cool' so it was such a great experience.

"Being a World Cup as my first tournament, it was just crazy to see different countries around the hotel, not only on the court but off the court and speaking to them... it's so cool."

Fast forward a few months and Ryan was named captain for the Oceania Championships, played in Canberra where no one came close to the Aussies, coached by her future Aussie Gems coach and current Sydney Flames WNBL coach Renae Garlepp.

The future Opal spoke about the honour of being the skipper for the national team.

"That was so cool, it was my first ever Australian gold medal so that was pretty special and then to captain the side was really special," she said.

"You don't really think about captaining an Aus team, but it was really good and it was in Canberra so we had the home crowd.

"I've never been a loud leader... (but) my main goal (as captain) was to always go and pick someone up... leadership it kind of came naturally in a way but it's not something I forced upon myself if that makes sense."

Ryan also said watching her older teammates in the under-17s team helped her be a better leader for Australian teams in her age group.

Her national career then went to another level at the FIBA Under-19 World Cup in the Czech Republic earlier this year, where she was shocked to just make the Gems team before Garlepp chose her to start at the tournament.

"I remember making some calls to my coaches and friends (about making the Gems team) and when you say it, it doesn't sound real," Ryan said.

"Then the night before (the tournament) we were doing scout and Renae had the starters on the board and I was like 'is that my name'... to start was something I'll never forget."

Ryan will look to take her medal-winning experience into the FIBA Under-17 Women's World Cup also at the Czech Republic in July 2026.