Two-time WNBL grand final MVP became an Australian citizen during a ceremony after last Sunday's win against the Dandenong Rangers, automatically making her eligible for Opals selection.

Under current rules, Australia can pick only one naturalised player.

Adelaide Lightning point guard Leilani Mitchell is thought by many to be the front runner after a stellar performnace at the 2014 FIBA women's world championships where the Opals secured a bronze medal.

Opals coach Brendan Joyce said he had watched Griffin closely for several years as he knew she was applying for citizenship.

"It's fantastic for her to become a citizen and I've always kept an eye on Kelsey, not just here but also in the WNBA where she is a starter who plays big minutes," he said.

"She is a versatile player who could play the small forward or power forward at international level so we know a lot about her game.

"I have no doubt in the past few years if I called Kelsey and invited her to Opals camp she would have been there in a minute, but I couldn't invite her until she became a citizen."

Spirit coach Simon Pritchard saids the rules surrounding naturalised players were complex, but at the very least Griffin would put pressure on others to earn their spot.

"There are so many things that have to happen before that Olympic team is selected,"

"They will certainly bring her into a camp at some stage and they will evaluate.

"It could come down to an injury and the mix of the group and who is first in and what they need after that."

The Opals qualified for a sixth straight Olympics with a series win against tyhe New Zealand Tall Ferns.

That squad contained two Spirit players - Belinda Snell and Kelly Wilson.

Snell, a three-time Olympic medallist, believed Griffin would be an outstanding acquisition for the Opals.

"She would definitely fit Brendan's style of play," she said.

"It was great for us to get the win for her on Sunday, the day she became an Aussie.

"There's quite a few players coming back from injury, so spots are wide open."

The Opals will have tours to Europe and Japan next year as part of their pre-Olympics preparation and, as Joyce has said previously, everyone will have a clean slate for selection.

“There is no question, the team is not settled yet,” he said.

- with The Age