Canberra import Jazmon Gwathmey has finally touched down in the nation's capital intent on guiding the Capitals out of the WNBL finals wilderness.
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Gwathmey will waste no time in suiting up for her new side with a pre-season hit-out against the Sydney University Flames looming on Friday night – after all, she "didn't fly 16 hours for nothing".
The 23-year-old may even be selling herself short in that regard as the club believe she spent 21 hours in the air.
The San Antonio Stars guard's arrival means Capitals coach Paul Goriss finally has his full squad on deck just over a week out from the season opener.
Gwathmey hopes the Capitals will be patient as she gets to grips with a new playbook in the little time she has.
"I'm like a sponge so I absorb everything you throw at me," Gwathmey said.
"I'm new to the WNBL but I know that they're tough, they're physical just like the league back home in the WNBA where they're physical and fast.
"It's not really a big transition coming to here but I know these girls are skilled. I'm not going to take them lightly, I'm going to come out there and just play my best."
Gwathmey hopes the confidence she gained from earning big minutes in her rookie WNBA season will hold her in good stead for a stint with the Capitals.
"It's kind of hard coming out of college when you're playing 40 minutes a game and then going to the league when you're playing maybe seven," Gwathmey said.
"I took that time sitting on the bench and learning what they were doing on the court and off the court what got them to get those high minutes.
"It worked in the end of the season – I was getting those minutes and starting and my confidence kept building."
With one more pre-season game remaining, Goriss said the timing of Gwathmey's arrival "couldn't be any better".
But her arrival isn't quite the final piece of the puzzle with the Capitals still eyeing another tall to complement Marianna Tolo.
"We've spread our net a little bit further than just the WNBL or girls who are playing SEABL," Goriss said.
"It's hard because of what's still left around within Australia, so we're still searching and we're hopeful maybe in the next week or two we'll have someone lined up, but we're still looking."
