One of one: Kadi Sissoko finds herself and her game away from home

When Kadi Sissoko signed with the UC Capitals in the 2025 WNBL offseason, Head Coach Paul Goriss couldn’t help contain his excitement.

“(She) has great versatility at both ends of the floor, can defend multiple positions, score in transition, get the ball on the floor, shoot the three and she can post up smaller defenders,” Goz said.  

"That's why I said I'm really excited to be able to coach her, I've seen her up close and know what she can do.”

On the court this season Kadi has been every bit as advertised. In 19 games so far, she’s averaging 10.6 points per game in the Caps equal opportunity offense. Her versatility and athleticism has been a huge asset for the team, allowing the Caps to play a variety of ways.

Beyond that, her personality and energy has been infectious. She was the first Cap to arrive in the offseason, arriving a few weeks before the start of training camp to get acclimated and to get work outs in. When the Caps breakdown their huddles, her “un deux trois” is unmistakable.

In the 5 months she’s been in Canberra, Kadi has been an integral piece of the fabric of the 25/26 UC Capitals, and she’s enjoyed every second of the journey.

“It’s been great, a lot of fun. My teammates are cool and I like the environment,” she says.

“On court, I feel like I’m being more aggressive and I’m having opportunities to really express myself.”

Like any first time WNBL imports, Kadi has had her share of ups and downs. She’s scored in double figures in more than half of the games she’s played (with a season high of 20 twice). You’ll often see her using her athleticism and unique skillset to crash the boards and trigger the fastbreak.

On the flip side, she’s had to deal with adjusting to the physicality of the league and even navigate concussion protocols for a couple of weeks. But through it all, she believes she’s exactly right where she needs to be.

“The competition in the league, that’s definitely one of the highlights,” she says.

“I think I really found a league where I can express myself and be fully me.”

It’s not just on the court where Kadi has thrived. Off the court she’s immersed herself in the Australian lifestyle, enjoying the warm weather and everything this city and country has to offer.

“Off the court, I really love Australia. Canberra is pretty chill and I get to do things that I love like going to coffee shops, walking around the lake and on the road, we get to go to the beach, and the weather has been great. I love playing during the summertime,” she says.

She’s in awe of the support from the Caps faithful noting their passion and loyalty to the team.

“The fans are just amazing. Every game, win or lose, they always show up. They always have good things to say,” she says.

“I feel very lucky to be here for sure. I love Canberra.”

The Caps have three games remaining in the regular season, and the finals berth is still very much in play. Kadi is determined to do whatever she can to help the franchise end its four-year finals drought.

“We just need to pay attention to details. At this point that is what’s going to set us apart and help us get into the Top 4 first and foremost, and then when we get there, against the top teams,” she says.

“We’re at the point where everyone’s tired, everyone’s a little bit hurt, and things going on. So it’s going to come down to really being focused on executing the game plan and attention to detail.”

Kadi and the Caps are back at the AIS on Tuesday 3 Feb against the Southside Melbourne Flyers. It's a game that could very well decide the last finals spot - Tickets are $5 get yours here.