IT’S a world away from the Coffs Harbour courts to the best female basketball league in the world.

Kristy Wallace has made this tremendous journey, with the former Coffs Harbour Suns junior making her WNBA debut last month.

The recent Australian Opals representative played her first game for the Atlanta Dream on May 7, making her debut in the female version of the NBA.

The 26-year-old has made an instant impact playing for the Atlanta Dream in her rookie season.

In her first eight games of the season, she has been fifth on her team in scoring, third in assists, and second in steals.

The highlight so far was top scoring for the Dream with 17 points in this week’s win against the Phoenix Mercury, in which she was named her team’s best player.

It certainly has been a hard road towards making her WNBA debut after initially being drafted by the Dream in 2018.

The point guard had to overcome devastating injuries early in her career.

While playing in the final year of her stellar US college career, Wallace tore her right ACL in 2018.

After a lengthy rehabilitation process, she came back and played in her first WNBL season in Australia but cruelly re-tore her ACL in just her second game of the season.

Despite these setbacks, she has made a triumphant return to the court after three years away having recently played for the Australian Opals and being named the Sixth Woman of the Year (best player off the bench) in the recent WNBL season.

Her recent form in the WNBA could have her in contention to make the Australian Opals team for the upcoming FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup to be held in Sydney.

By Aiden BURGESS