Alex Sharp's potential is both "scary and exciting" - which is exactly why she could play a crucial role in a Canberra Capitals rebuild.
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Sharp has claimed the WNBL's breakout player of the year award while co-captain Jade Melbourne was named the fans' choice for the league's most valuable player and claimed a place in the ALL-WNBL first team.
Melbourne is already locked in for next season while Capitals coach Kristen Veal - who has re-signed for another season at the helm in a bid to snap a run of consecutive wooden spoons - is poised to enter negotiations with a host of off-contract players.
Retaining Sharp would be a major coup for the Capitals after the 27-year-old enjoyed the best year of her WNBL career after arriving in Canberra following three seasons in Perth.
Sharp averaged more minutes than any other Capitals player this season with 33.8 per game, topped their average rebound count and was second to Melbourne for points and assists per game.
"She's been huge. Both of those players are obviously captains of a young group and they've had to do it by jumping in the deep end," Veal said.
"They both know how much growing and how much learning they have to do as leaders and as young players, but Sharpy, she has had an outstanding season and it has definitely been a breakout year for her.
"When you've seen that in her for a long time, it's not as surprising. What she has managed to do this year is exactly the reason why I wanted her here with the Caps and I think there is still so much room for her to go, which is scary and exciting in one for her and the Caps."
Melbourne - who is now targeting a place in the Opals squad at the Paris Olympic Games - was beaten to the league MVP award by Melbourne Boomers guard Jordin Canada, who becomes the second import in WNBL history to win the Suzy Batkovic Medal after ex-Capitals star Kia Nurse won the award in the 2019-20 season.
Los Angeles-born Canada, a two-time WNBA champion now contracted with the Atlanta Dream, was the league's joint assists leader with 7.6 per game and ranked in the WNBL's top 10 for points, averaging 15.2 across her 18 regular-season appearances.
She broke Canberra's hearts over the weekend with a late free throw to put the Boomers ahead with two seconds left on the clock and book her side a semi-final date with the Southside Flyers.
"My teammates and the Boomer organisation have welcomed me with open arms and the fans have been amazing for me," Canada said.
"It's a very competitive league and has been great for me to expand my game in different ways."
Canada and Melbourne were joined in the All-WNBL first team by the Sydney Flames' Lauren Nicholson - who claimed the league's defensive player of the year award - as well as Adelaide Lightning young gun Isobel Borlase and Southside Flyers star Mercedes Russell.
Leilani Mitchell won sixth woman of the year for starring off the bench for Southside, while Townsville's Shannon Seebohm claimed a record-equalling fourth coach of the year award.
Seebohm's Fire will face the Perth Lynx in their semi-final series, while Melbourne and Southside will meet in the other semi-finals for a place in the grand final series.