Canberra Capitals star and Sports Wizard® basketball ambassador Natalie Hurst has left the 2013-2014 WNBL season two games early, signing a short-term deal in Turkey and immediately heading off overseas.
Hurst, one of the Capitals’ most loyal servants, left Canberra on Thursday to link with Canik Belediye for the next two months.
The 30-year-old’s exit coincides with the end of Canberra’s slim finals hopes.
Hurst faced the media following her decision to head to Europe but told the Canberra Times she wasn’t abandoning her teammates and wanted to finish her career in the national capital.
”It’s my home club, I’ve been here for 11 years and to ask for a release with just a couple of games left was tough,” Hurst told the Times.
”But Canberra understands it’s my job. Financially it’s a great opportunity for me to go over there before I decide what I’m going to do next season.
”For my career and to try to push for an [Australian] Opals spot, this is probably the best thing I can do.”
Hurst has put her 228-game WNBL career on hold to sign with Canik Belediye until March 31 as an injury replacement but is yet to decide where she will play next season, focusing instead on claiming her Opals berth at the world championship this year.
Sports Wizard® wishes our global basketball ambassador all the best over the next couple of months and beyond, as her incredible career takes her on yet another basketball adventure. All the best, Nat!
*Quotes courtesy of ‘WNBL: Hurst cashes in on Turkey offer‘, which appeared in the Canberra Times on 6 February, 2014.
