The young, Indigenous phenom Shaneice Swain, has earned her spot to play professional basketball with the Los Angeles Sparks, after being taken with the 14th-overall pick in the WNBA draft on Tuesday.

The 19-year-old Yupangathi and Gangalidda/Gooreng Gooreng woman showed up in major recent tournaments such as the Nike Hoops Summit in Portland, Oregon which helped solidify her placement in the draft's first round.

Swain recorded a team-high 19 points, four rebounds and two assists in just 21 minutes for Team World in front of scouts days before the draft at the Hoops Summit.

Swain's former coach, Sam Gruggen, the current Cairns Taipans Assistant Coach, said "she's always had the athleticism and ability to make it to the WNBA."

"She has this calmness and relaxation when she's on the court, she doesn't seem rushed at all."

"It just comes natural. It's rare for basketball players but when she plays it looks like the game slows down when she has the ball in her hand."

"We spoke probably a month and a half ago and obviously the WNBA was on the radar and I thought from the moment she trained with us she could be a WNBA player.

"I don't think a lot of people realise being picked 14th in the entire world for this draft class is an unbelievable achievement."

"I think Cairns as a whole should be thrilled and proud that another player has come through the system, from a place with only 150,000 people it's pretty amazing."

Head coach of the Cairns Marlins Kerry Williams told the National Indigenous Times all of the positive things he knew about Swain to be true, were confirmed with her incredible placement in the draft.

"I started coaching her as a 16 year old, she was part all the programs and she's just a special talent and it shows yesterday when she was drafted," he said.

"She was definitely a standout - the way she trained, her mentality is something you only see in a few people."

Coach Williams noted that Swain believed she would be picked in the second round.

"I think she'd be ecstatic with that (draft placement), I spoke to her earlier and she thought she'd be picked in the one or two spot in the second round."

"But she showcased her talent in the Hoop Summit which put her on the map."

"Her best skills are her ability to score and her athleticism, but her special skill is that she doesn't let anything bother her. She just moves on to the next possession, which is a great skill to have."

All eyes will be glued on Swain and the rest of the WNBA rosters as the 2023 draft class features some incredible talents like Aliyah Boston, Diamond Miller and Maddy Seigrist.