Opals legend Jenna O’Hea is yet to fully process the events that led to Liz Cambage’s withdrawal from the Tokyo Olympics.
It was found that Cambage “engaged in conduct that brought Basketball Australia into censure” following an on-court incident in an Olympic warm-up game against Nigeria in Las Vegas last July.
Cambage, 30, escaped a fine and suspension, but was handed a formal reprimand by an independent panel following a Basketball Australia investigation.
Cambage withdrew from the Opals squad for the Tokyo Olympics citing mental health reasons. The four-time WNBA All-Star was reportedly set to be axed from the squad for behavioural concerns.
O’Hea, a former captain of the Opals, was asked if she’s been able to move on from the incident involving Cambage in the pre-Olympics scrimmage.
“Absolutely not. That was huge and everything that surrounded it was really big,” she told SEN’s This Is Your Journey – thanks to Tobin Brothers.
“To be honest, I saw a sports psych for months afterwards trying to deal with it all and I do think that that’s part of the reason why I have retired.
“It took a huge toll on me and was really difficult … I don’t think I’ll ever fully process it to be honest.
“It’s still pretty raw. I don’t talk about it very often unless it’s with my sports psych. If you asked me a couple of months ago, I would have been in a ball of tears.
“It’s going to take time for me. Everyone heals at a different rate and gets over things in a different way, so that’s something I’m still dealing with today.
“I think it’s going to take a lot more time.”
The Opals were eliminated at the quarter-final stage at the Tokyo Olympics.
O’Hea, 34, announced her retirement from both international and national basketball in March.