Q. How is this camp coming in for you having been here for a while now? I guess you had last season, and so you're kind of -- I think Georgia was saying you're her vet even though you guys have that relationship going back. So how have you approached this camp and what have you wanted to show?
JADE MELBOURNE: Yeah, I think for me it's just coming in and just being myself. You know, it's year three for me now and every year for me is just building on consistency and growing every year.
It's funny you say that. Georgia was always the leader when we played together and she's actually older than me and now she's calling me a vet. It's just strange. Feel wrong calling her a rookie.
Yeah, I'm just excited to be me. I think the way I play I don't necessarily stuff the stat sheet, but it's more so what can I do to help contribute to winning. I'll do whatever I need to do on any given night.
Yeah, it's just bringing a lot of enthusiasm and passion to the game knowing I can come on in short spurts, change the game.
Yeah, I'm not trying to do anything extra special to impress the coaches. Just got to stay true to who I am, and hopefully that gives me a great role on this team.
Q. Georgia had talked about knowing you before. Just a general professional sports question, but does that have a tangible effect, knowing someone and becoming teammates? Does that show up on the court?
JADE MELBOURNE: I think so. Georgia and I played a lot against each other and with each other. We've played great basketball together. We have medalled at the Australian junior Championships, medalled representing the country together. So for me it's nice to have another Australian accent. Her's is a little twisted at the moment. She'll get that back no doubt hanging out with me.
No, it's awesome to just have a really good friend. I think we can bounce off each other. We play pretty much the same position so it's good to pick up what she's done and the approach she's made in her game. Hopefully I can help her out every now and again being someone who has been here before.
Ultimately, yeah, great to have a really good friend on the team. Great to have someone you can bounce off. Looking forward to playing with her again.
Q. Kind of picking up on that with Georgia, how do you feel like your games complement each other as point guards for this team? Any particular memories come to mind playing with her when you guys were younger?
JADE MELBOURNE: I think when it's Georgia and I together you guys probably obviously watched Georgia, but there is a whole lot energy. We feed off each other and we're both fast and we like to play a similar style of game.
She's got the three-point jump shot down pat, so maybe for me it's get to go the rim and creating shots with her. I know she is going to get me some catch-and-shoot threes as well.
So I think our games complement one another. We've been brought up in a similar system. I've played now in the Australian system a bit more than she has, but she's probably a bit more equipped for the American game.
It's exciting. We are looking forward to one another. Just the fact that we're both here is crazy. Just a full circle moment. Yeah, excited to suit up next to Georgia. I think our games will bring a lot of excitement to the team, to the fans.
Yeah, we just can't wait to get on the court to be honest.
Q. Jade, the pace of play everyone is talking about, the eight seconds --
JADE MELBOURNE: Make it six.
Q. Right. But with that, I mean, the depth has to be ready, everyone has to be ready to step on the floor and impact the game quickly. What's the key to making not just fast but also under control, those decisions that need to be made early in the shot clock? What goes into that mental process to approach each possession that way?
JADE MELBOURNE: Yeah, I think we have to go in a mindset to play super fast. Like we just have to think like everyone has got a job in that. The wings have to run the lane quick; the point guards always have to open able. The things they score, they got to get it out and get it to us.
I think overall, like it'll be a bit of an experiment and that's what training camp is for. We get to learn how each other play. We're picking up each other's tendencies as we go, and then just a matter of make the basketball read.
We're going to have overlaps at the rim, open threes. We're not going to settle for contested one or two shots; not going to settle for contested threes.
We'll gradually flow into our middle eight and last eight. I think it's just an exciting brand. Once it was clicking we were like, Mmmm, okay, this looks pretty good.
So it's different. We know we have to do something unique being a young team, but we've got the pace, the depth, and I think we've got a whole camp of players that are ready to come in and contribute, so that's the exciting thing.
Q. Jade, you had a very exciting like nine, ten months getting the start with the Australian National Team at the Olympics, the success you had there individually and then returning here, having nice success toward the end of the W season and transferring to overseas success and coming back. How do you feel your game has evolved in that nine, ten months to where you're coming in with a different level of confidence that you might have last season?
JADE MELBOURNE: Yeah, for push. For me it's been 12 months, because one of the most exciting things was honestly getting traded to the Mystics. This just created so many opportunities for me. It's been a place where first and foremost I've been able grow up as a person, a basketball player.
Last year I came in as the backup point guard and essentially ran the second unit. I had great support and veterans as well, so it was an easy job for me.
I think getting that start with the Australian National Team and being the captain of my team in Australia, I think my game has just matured. I think I've implemented a change of pace which I needed to, because at one stage it was all gas, no brakes.
Yeah, playing with a bit more sense of smart, just playing more basketball. I've seen a lot of different defensive styles over the last nine, ten months. I'm just excited now to -- I think my basketball IQ is the main thing, making decisions under pressure, being able to maybe create a marginal gap to get to the rim.
I think it's just expanding on my strengths more than anything. I'm excited to see what my role is, what I need to do for this team. Overall just a sense of excitement for me. I can't wait to get into camp and get to know everyone and just continue to see my game grow.
I'm 22 years old. There is a lot of room for growth and improvement. Excited to see how that happens.
Q. Obviously I know this is really early on for you guys. Curious from a point guard perspective, when you get a lot of new teammates, what's the learning curve like for you in terms of finding out where they want their shots, what spots they like to be in? What responsibility do you feel you have to kind of help maximize them?
JADE MELBOURNE: I think it's just having conversations with my teammates first and foremost. Like, hey, do you refer a bounce pass or a lob pass? Just getting to know people and just playing, too. Like I'm someone that takes a lot of notes, so like I'm taking notes. Okay, like that didn't work with that person. Having that conversation with someone, 'learning the playbook inside out, upside down. Obviously it's not that big yet but it's going to be.
It's like, all right, Shakira has just made two buckets out of that play. How can I get her a third shot? It's for me constantly observing the little things. Some things that maybe don't matter to someone matter to me.
So making sure I'm a great teammate for them and open conversations. But more importantly, just celebrating their success as well. If I put you on the (indiscernible) you can get two points.
I think it's just continuing every day coming in and getting to know my teammates more, and for me studying the game, studying my teammates, watching practice back.
Just all the little things I can do. I think game is when you get the most information, but I'm excited to just get to know people and have those conversations and hopefully set them up for success.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports