Australian Opals banish memories of Tokyo Olympics to look ahead to Women's Basketball World Cup

The Australian women's basketball team has always had a strong brand.

You know the names – Lauren Jackson, Penny Taylor, Michele Timms, Liz Cambage.

All global icons of the sport.

But the Opals have lost a little of their shine in recent years, especially after a stinging quarter-final exit to the USA at last year's Tokyo Olympics.

It was tough to swallow for a team used to winning, and with a World Cup in Sydney beckoning later this year, the team is determined to rebound.

The Opals' journey starts this week at a tournament in Serbia.

They've already qualified for the World Cup as the host nation, but they'll face other teams vying to join them in Sydney in September.

«It's a fresh start for us,» Opals coach Sandy Brondello told ABC Sport.

«We've got a good culture, we need to make it a great culture. We took a step back a little bit last year, so [there are] things we can work on and be better.

»And we faced a lot of adversity, and I don't think we handled it as well as we could, but things were out of our control."

That included a lack of game time in the lead-up to the Olympics due to COVID, and Liz Cambage's withdrawal on the eve of the Games.

And culture is the buzzword for the Opals now, as they aim to get back on track.

«These players are really special. It's not just being a great basketball player, they have to be really, really great people and that's where it starts,» Brondello said.

«Most importantly, you have to uphold the values that we put together, and if you can't, well then you can't be an Opal.»

Cambage has already said she has «zero» interest in representing the Opals at the World Cup, but Brondello believes the squad is «more united» without her. 

And the absence of one of the best players in the world means the