Chinese superstar Han Xu announced her arrival in the WNBL on Saturday with a dominant game-high display for Perth.
The towering 211cm centre scored 22 points, including 10 of 12 from the field, plus compiled four rebounds, two blocks, one steal, and one assist in her new team's convincing 91-67 victory over the UC Capitals in Canberra. The 26-year-old had an immediate impact in what was Perth's highest score and biggest win of the season.
A dual Olympian and FIBA World Cup silver medallist, Xu landed in Perth last Sunday, met her new team mates on Tuesday, and played 28.41 minutes in her debut and looked in command and in sync with her new side.
"It was very exciting to get a lot of points but I'm a centre and a post player so why I get a lot of points is because my teammates believe in me, they trust me and pass me the perfect ball so it's teamwork," she told ESPN post-game.
"We're all professionals, we know how to play together but we still have to get better, we have a lot of improvement to make.
"I'm going to work hard with my teammates, step by step. Today's the first game for me, so let's see."
ESPN commentator Bec Cole was full of praise for the gun recruit during the broadcast.
"I can't get over how seamlessly she's just entered this team and the game," she said.
Xu will turn out for her first home game in Perth next Friday night against the Southside Flyers.
Meanwhile, the league's most experienced coach, Guy Molloy, has quit the Sydney Flames less than 24 hours after a 16-point loss to reigning champions Bendigo Spirit.
The shock news comes after his Flames defeated Geelong in overtime on Wednesday night to register their third win of the season.
Molloy, who first coached in the WNBL in 1989 with Canberra and went on to lead Perth and the Melbourne Boomers, where he won the title in 2021-22, was in his third year with the Flames having guided the club back into the finals last season after near-decade long hiatus.
In a club statement on Saturday evening, the Flames said Molloy would move into an advisory role with the Hoops Capital entity which owns the Flames and their NBL brother, the Sydney Kings.
"It's been a challenging season, and after a great deal of reflection, I've decided to step down from my position with the team. I'm incredibly proud of what we've accomplished together over the past three years, and I'm deeply grateful for the relationships and experiences we've shared," Molloy said.
"While I won't be leading from the same seat, I'll be moving into an advisory role to support a smooth transition and continue contributing in any way I can. I wish the players nothing but the very best for what's ahead."
Hoops Capital co-owner Luc Longley thanked Molloy for his tenure.
"Guy has made an incredible contribution to our club and culture over the last three years. He is a respected coach who has made a significant impact on basketball in Australia celebrating a milestone 350 WNBL games this year," he said.
The Flames' next game is on December 6 -- an away fixture against ladder-leader Townsville -- with assistant coach Renae Garlepp in the frame to take on an interim coaching position.