WNBL: Canberra Capitals recruit Sherrie Calleia highlights new underdog identity

"When you have a certain group one year and it's very different the next year, I think teams are going to underestimate us and that's exactly where we want to be," she told The Canberra Times.

"We're going to be unpredictable, we're going to be unknown. We've got people that are hungry, that want opportunity, that want to prove themselves and step up to the next level."

It's an ominous warning from the Capitals legend in her first season as head coach after replacing WNBA-bound Paul Gorris.

The Capitals are just a few signing announcements away from finalising their squad for the upcoming WNBL season and Veal was thrilled with their latest recruit, Sherrie Calleia.

After injury setbacks, the little-known 23-year-old has been back on the rise, averaging 15 points and five assists a game for the Mount Gambier Pioneers in the NBL1 South competition, and is two wins from the grand final.

Calleia had very nearly given up hope of playing WNBL again. After playing just a handful of games and minimal minutes with the Sydney Flames in the last few years, she just needed an opportunity and it was Veal who provided that lifeline.

"I went for so long this season not hearing from anyone," Calleia said.

"I reached out to a few people and they weren't interested. Then out of the blue Vealy called me. It was surreal because I felt like I'd been putting in the hard work and no one had really recognised me.

"She knew so much about my game already, she'd watched film and it was only a short phone call.

"I felt a great sense of belonging and that's the culture of the team that I've noticed and that's really important to me because when I fit better into a team and feel I belong, then I play better."

The 172cm guard is not expected to carry the team on her back in her first season in the capital, however, Veal is predicting the youngster will surprise some people.

"I do think she could be a sleeper," the coach said.

"If our other players really shine and take up the opportunity, they'll take a little bit of the heat away from Sherrie and then she'll be able to come in and slice it open with what she does."

And what Calleia does when she's at her best is scary. Her passing is elite, and her ability to make teams pay for sloppy defence highlights her basketball IQ.

"She's a super exciting talent who has been dominating NBL1 this year with Mt Gambier," Veal said.

"You just have to search her highlight reels. It's her versatility in that point guard spot, her ability to facilitate her vision, her passing and then her ability to score, which makes it really difficult for other point guards around the league to match up on."

While other WNBL coaches may have baulked at Calleia's injury history, Veal felt confident it wasn't a "gamble", that she had not yet reached her ceiling and that those obstacles were actually an advantage.

"She should have been doing this two or three years ago, but got hamstrung by injury," the Capitals coach said.

"She's a mature young kid because she's had that adversity. She's got some life experience for someone so young."

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The Capitals are expected to announce an import signing soon with Veal confirming "one to two more" recruits to be added before their pre-season officially gets underway.

"There's such a good feel. I can't wait to get them all in the same room and start building together," she said.

"It's unfortunate Jade [Melbourne] didn't make the World Cup team... but we don't have anyone else involved in that World Cup this year, so we get a solid six weeks of pre-season, and I don't know the last time we had that amount of time."

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