A hunger to grow her basketball IQ and make the WNBA was the catalyst for Isobel Borlase signing with the Bendigo Spirit.
The Paris Olympic medallist, 20, will join the reigning WNBL champion next season after three years with home team Adelaide in the biggest move free agency, which opened on Monday, will see.
It's a mega play by the Spirit who are carving out a reputation of landing the game's big fish, but have also lost champion, Grand Final MVP and Suzy Batkovic Medallist Sami Whitcomb to Europe.
Borlase told ESPN the Spirit were not on her radar at first but, after a meticulous process with her agent Bruce Kaider, the regional Victorian club emerged as the obvious and best fit.
"Going into free agency I probably didn't think I'd be moving to Bendigo but my manager [Bruce Kaider] and I went through a process of outlining what I wanted to get out of the season given my goals for the next couple of years and by the end of that, it was clear it would be Bendigo," she said.
"A goal is developing my game and learning more about different reads to make and what the defences are doing. I think I have played off a lot of instinct, and that's natural and I think I'm good at that, but now if I'm wanting to make the next step to WNBA, playing more time for the Opals, then I've got to learn how to make reads and distribute the ball better."
After debuting for the Lightning in 2022-23, Borlase produced a brilliant WNBL campaign the following season winning the Betty Watson Breakout Player of the Year award and catapulting herself into Opals and Olympic contention.
She said she was upset to leave Adelaide, who's future was secured last month, and that she'd had some emotional conversations with close friends and teammates Steph Talbot and Tayla Brazel.
"I've got a lot of love for Adelaide, I really care about the club and basketball in South Australia and I'm really sad to be leaving," Borlase said.
"I hope to play in the WNBL for a long time and I might end up in Adelaide again one day but right now this is the best fit."
Currently based in Melbourne playing NBL1 for the Melbourne Tigers, Borlase worked out with Spirit coach Kennedy Kereama for the first time on Wednesday.
Playing for him and a club which has raised the bar under new ownership were also factors in her decision.
"Playing with [Marianna] Tolo and Kelsey [Griffen] was too. They both messaged me during the process and those little messages can go a long way, especially from people like them," Borlase explained.
"I also spoke to Sami about her experiences there and she only had good things to say and I value her opinion. Talking to those people, Kennedy and the good structure they're starting to build in Bendigo was enticing."
The Griffin factor was influential, the five-time WNBL champion confirming her status as the biggest recruiting drawcard in the league with another talented player joining a club because they want to play alongside her.
"I think everyone in the league knows the wealth of knowledge Kelsey brings and everyone who's played with her has only good things to say and has learned a lot from her," Borlase said.
"I'm a guard and Kelsey and Tolo are bigs and I think there's a relationship there and if I'm coming off a screen and I don't give it to them in the right position or they don't give it to me in the right position, I want people to tell me those sort of things, that's the only way I'm going to get better is by getting that feedback.
"Kelsey is super personable, works super hard and I'm looking forward to playing with her."
Selected by the Atlanta Dream with Pick 8 in last year's WNBA draft, Borlase is working towards building the skill set and confidence to play in the US next year.
"That's where I want to be, that's where the best players play and I'm hoping to go next year," she said.
"This time last year I thought I'd be there right now but at the end of last [WNBL] season I didn't think I was ready to move away, compete at that level day in, day out with those girls and in training camp and was perhaps a bit low on confidence to go over there and I feel like you've got to go feeling like you're ready and believe you can make that final roster.
"I'm hoping I'll have all those feelings at the end of the WNBL season because I'm watching a lot of the [WNBA] games and watching it makes me feel like I want to be there and that's probably a good thing."
Next month, Borlase will represent Australia at the FIBA Asia Cup in China and she's focused on producing solid form and growing her wings as an Opal.
"I'm really excited for it and I think we've got a real shot to compete with China and Japan. There's a World Cup in 2026 and we'll have qualifiers early next year," she said.
"I was excited to make the Asia Cup team and now I'm in the Opals team I've got to try and solidify my spot.
"It's almost more nerve wracking now trying to keep your spot than trying to make it the first time. This time last year I felt like I was playing so freely because I was just trying to get picked."