Wyndham Basketball Association has announced the signing of American player Gianna “GiGi” Smith for the 2022 Big V season.
Smith will join the championship women’s team after she arrives in Australia next month.
A native of Virginia, Smith – who stands at 5 feet, 10 inches tall – competed in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) with the University of North Carolina–Wilmington.
A third-team All-Colonial Athletic Association selection who started 25 out of 30 games as a redshirt senior in the 2019-20 season, she led her team with 14.3 points per game and 5.5 rebounds per game.
Women’s coach Gerard Hillier said he was thrilled that Smith has signed with the team.
“There was an instant connection with GiGi during our initial talks, with all of her questions about Wyndham and the league being really relevant and in line with exactly what we’re trying to achieve as a program,” he said.
“What I really like about GiGi is her ability to balance getting her own points while assisting others, with a young roster it was vitally important to have a player such as GiGi who is able to make tough plays when the team needs a bucket, yet help our younger stars find their own buckets throughout the game.”
Smith said she was “pumped” to join Wyndham.
“Talking to the head coach made me feel comfortable, made me feel like family, made me feel like it was home I’m so excited to be around everyone, I can’t wait to get there,” she said.
In addition to playing for the Wyndham, Smith will act as a coach during the association basketball’s programs and camps during this year.
Last month, the association announced its men’s championship men’s program had signed New Yorker Kavione Green, from Bloomfield University, as its first import for the 2022 season.
