Bendigo continues 'Rees-tooling' for title defense

• Revealed: All 165 games of the 2025-26 NBL season
• Revealed: All 92 games of the 2025-26 WNBL season
• Super 6: Biggest must-see games of WNBL26

Bendigo Spirit continue to put the WNBL on notice — the defending champions are "Rees-tooling" to go back-to-back.

The Spirit announced today it had secured five-year NCAA Australian women's basketballer Kelsey Griffin.

"I’m really looking forward to joining the Spirit for the 2025–26 season," Rees said.

"I had an incredible college career in the US and was lucky to learn from some amazing teammates and coaches. Now, I’m really excited to be coming home to Australia to play the game I love.

"Joining a championship-winning team with some of the best bigs in the League is an amazing opportunity, and I can’t wait to keep learning, contribute however I can, and connect with the Bendigo fans."

The 23-year-old is coming off a rock-solid season — 12.9 points per game and 7.7 rebounds — for the Oregon State Beavers after transferring from the Utah Utes before the 2023-24 NCAAW season.

The Spirit are making significant off-season moves after losing WNBL MVP Sami Whitcomb to Europe.

Spirit general Manager Dan Jackson said: "Having Kelsey choose Bendigo to start her professional career is a huge win for our club.

"She had a fantastic senior year at Oregon State, and she will now get the opportunity to train against and learn from some of the best bigs our League has seen in Kelsey Griffin and Marianna Tolo. We expect Kelsey can come in and contribute right away and look forward to helping her along her basketball journey for at least the next two years."

Rees joins Australian Opal Isobel Borlase, Kelsey Griffin, US college graduate Olivia Pollerd and Casey Samuels on the Spirit roster for the 2025-26 season.

The forward won gold for Australia at the 2018 FIBA U16 Asian Championship and 2019 FIBA U17 Women’s Oceania Championship.

Rees was named in All-WCC first team, was an academic All American and All-WCC tournament team member. She was second in the conference in rebounding. She played in four NCAA tournaments, advancing to the Sweet 16 in 2023 and Elite 8 in 2024.

Key Details

Name: Kelsey Rees
Team(s): Bendigo Spirit (WNBL); Oregon State Beavers; and Utah Utes
Position: Forward
Height: 196 cm
Class: Graduated 5th year Senior
Hometown: Glenelg North, SA (Australia)

Rees began her collegiate basketball career at the University of Utah, where she spent three seasons developing her game while playing limited minutes. The South Australian native showed glimpses of potential during her time with the Utes but never quite broke through as a consistent starter or major contributor.

After transferring to Oregon State for her final two seasons, Rees experienced a remarkable transformation. While her first season with the Beavers showed modest improvement, it was her senior campaign in 2024-25 that truly showcased her evolution as a player. The 196 cm forward blossomed into one of Oregon State's most reliable performers, more than doubling her previous career highs in both scoring and rebounding.

Rees's path exemplifies the patience and perseverance often required in collegiate athletics. After spending much of her early career coming off the bench and playing supporting roles, she seized the opportunity at Oregon State to become a frontcourt anchor during her final season of eligibility.

Senior Season Stats (2024-25)

Rees's senior season with Oregon State represented a breakthrough, as she took on a significantly expanded role and delivered consistently strong performances:

• Minutes: 31.9 per game
• Points: 12.9 per game
• Rebounds: 7.7 per game (2.6 offensive, 5.1 defensive)
• Assists: 1.6 per game
• Blocks: 0.7 per game
• Field Goal Percentage: 41.7% (149-357)
• Three-Point Percentage: 32.6% (31-95)
• Free Throw Percentage: 82.9% (121-146)

Her ability to contribute across multiple statistical categories made her an invaluable asset to the Beavers' lineup. Rees demonstrated a much-improved outside shooting touch, attempting nearly three three-pointers per game after rarely shooting from distance during her Utah career.

Career Progression

Rees's statistical progression throughout her five collegiate seasons tells the story of a player who steadily developed her skills before experiencing a dramatic senior-year leap:‍

• ‍2020-21 (Utah): 3.1 points, 2.4 rebounds in 10.7 minutes per game‍
• 2021-22 (Utah): 4.7 points, 4.7 rebounds in 19.4 minutes per game‍
• 2022-23 (Utah): 3.0 points, 2.6 rebounds in 12.3 minutes per game‍
• 2023-24 (Oregon State): 4.9 points, 4.3 rebounds in 19.9 minutes per game‍
• 2024-25 (Oregon State): 12.9 points, 7.7 rebounds in 31.9 minutes per game

The most striking aspect of Rees's development was her offensive evolution. After never averaging more than 4.9 points per game in her first four seasons, she nearly tripled that production as a fifth year senior. Her improved free throw shooting (82.9% in her final season) and willingness to attempt three-pointers transformed her into a much more versatile offensive threat.

Achievements

Rees's senior season included several standout performances that highlighted her all-around game:

• Recorded a double-double (15 points, 10 rebounds) in her final collegiate game against North Carolina in the NCAA Tournament
• Posted 10+ rebounds in eight games during her senior season
• Scored 20+ points four times, including a career-high 25 against Portland
• Contributed to Oregon State's strong tournament run, helping the team reach the NCAA Tournament
• Played a crucial role in signature wins against Gonzaga and multiple conference opponents

Her ability to impact games extended beyond scoring, as evidenced by her multi-faceted contributions in critical contests. Against Pacific, she recorded 22 points in an overtime thriller, while her 17-rebound performance against Colorado State demonstrated her elite glass-cleaning capability.