Liz Cambage resurfaces after walking out on WNBA team
Australian basketball star Liz Cambage has re-emerged on social media in the wake of her sudden retirement from the WNBA.
Cambage has been keeping a low profile after her turn with the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks fell apart earlier this year, with the 31-year-old having abruptly left the team locker room after a game against the Las Vegas Aces.
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Her exit from the WNBA came in the wake of controversy stemming from her altercation with members of the Nigerian national team while playing for the Opals in a warm-up game prior to the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.
Outside of an Instagram post thanking followers for wishing her a happy birthday, Cambage has been silent on social media since walking out on the Sparks.
Cambage left the team after their game against the Aces in July, reportedly telling teammates “I can’t do this anymore. Best of luck to you guys,” on her way out of the locker room.
It was a move that left the basketball world stunned, but Cambage has since reappeared online after attending the Burning Man festival in the Nevada desert.
Pictures with Cambage were shared by high-profile DJ Diplo, as well as Australian fashion designer Pip Edwards.
Edwards captioned her picture with Cambage with the comment 'found her'.
A basketball comeback for Cambage would appear unlikely at the stage, however one of her most prominent critics has wished her the best in the wake of her WNBA departure.
Australian NBA champion Andrew Bogut, who has regularly sparred with Cambage on social media, took to his Rogue Bogues podcast to wish her well.
“I don’t know what she is doing, but I hope she’s in the right mental space,” Bogut said after Cambage's exit from the Sparks was announced.
“I hope everything is OK. It can’t be easy leaving your team mid-season mentally.
“I hope she is doing well, but it is probably no surprise to each of us that this has transpired given what has happened in the past 18 months in her world.”
Liz Cambage's WNBA demise a big blow for Aussie hoops
Cambage was reportedly on the nose with her Los Angeles Sparks teammates before her bombshell decision to part ways with the team.
The Australian centre played just 25 games for the Sparks before deciding to walk away from the sport, with Sparks managing partner Eric Holoman saying the move came with the support of the team.
"We want what's best for Liz and have agreed to part ways amicably. The Sparks remain excited about our core group and are focused on our run towards a 2022 playoff berth."
According to Kristina Williams of 'Girls Talk Sports TV', Cambage had 'chemistry issues' with her teammates as early as late May.
Williams tweeted that Cambage 'quit' the team and had "made verbal comments about her intentions to leave the Sparks to multiple people within the organisation."
She added: "I would like to clarify that this tweet isn’t directly related to the reason why Liz Cambage and the Sparks parted ways.
"It was reported to give an overall account of some of the things the franchise has faced as of late (incl. her departure)."
It was claimed that Cambage told Nigerian players to "go back to your third world country" during a pre-Olympics warm-up match and called them 'monkeys'.
Video has since re-emerged on social media showing the telling reaction of Cambage's Sparks teammates Nneka and Chiney Ogwumike (both of Nigerian descent) during an interview earlier in July.
Chiney can be seen rolling her eyes when Cambage answers a question about her recovery from a third bout with Covid-19, while both sisters look highly uncomfortable throughout.
"This interview is from July 21, which was her second to last game as a member of the Los Angeles Sparks," John W. Davis of the Long Beach Post-Telegram wrote on Tuesday.
Writer Lindsay Gibbs commented: "Hindsight, etc. etc., but the body language of her teammates here feels telling."
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