9
Sep
WNBL26
Flames add Ruby Perkins ahead of NCAA move
Ruby Perkins at the U19 World Cup Media Day. Photo: FIBA.com
Ruby Perkins joins Sydney Flames as a development player while keeping NCAA eligibility for Cal.
- Every Australian in NCAAW basketball in 2025-26
- Ruby Perkins has verbally committed to the University of California Berkeley Golden Bears
- She has signed a development deal with the Sydney Flames for the upcoming season
- Latest News: Read more about Aussies in NCAA
One of Australia’s brightest young stars, Ruby Perkins, has signed with the Sydney Flames for the upcoming WNBL season.
The highly rated New South Wales point guard has signed an amateur development player contract, a move that preserves her NCAA eligibility ahead of her planned move to the University of California, Berkeley in 2026.
"I've always wanted to go over (to college),” Perkins told basketball.com.au earlier this year.
"Even just the facilities and the access that they get is so good. Watching it, where it's come over the past couple of years, it's an exciting time to be in this process.”
Perkins, 17, has already built one of the strongest résumés of any guard in her age group.
She starred for the Norths Bears in NBL1 East this year, averaging 12 points, five assists and three rebounds per game, and led NSW to the 2025 Australian Under 20 Women’s Championship title in Ballarat earlier this year, where she was named tournament MVP.
On the international stage she represented the Australian Gems at the FIBA Under 19 Women’s World Cup, playing in every game and helping the team to a silver medal.
The Flames agreement allows her to gain valuable experience inside a WNBL program while maintaining amateur status, having already verbally committed to join the Cal Golden Bears for the 2026 college year.
Her signing continues a growing trend of young Australian talent balancing WNBL opportunities with college commitments, with Gems teammate recently signing a similar deal with the UC Capitals.
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