Seattle Storm guard Jade Melbourne proved her toughness after suffering a gruesome facial injury while diving for a loose ball during her team’s season opener.
The fourth-year veteran was sprinting to reclaim a possession in the second quarter against the Golden State Valkyries on Friday night when she collided heavily with the hardwood.
As she lunged for the ball, Valkyries guard Veronica Burton landed on top of her, driving Melbourne’s face directly into the court and chipping her front tooth.
In a display of grit that immediately went viral, Melbourne didn’t stay down, instead picking up the piece of her tooth from the floor and handing it to a trainer.
Astoundingly, the Australian international refused to head to the locker room for medical attention, electing to stay in the game and continue leading the Storm’s backcourt.
This marks the second consecutive season that Melbourne has suffered a dental disaster, having lost a portion of the same tooth to a Chelsea Gray elbow while playing for the Washington Mystics last year.
Seattle Storm guard Jade Melbourne suffered a brutal tooth injury during their season opener
As she went for the ball, Valkyries guard Veronica Burton landed on top of her, driving Melbourne’s face directly into the court and chipping her front tooth
While the previous injury required stitches and forced her out of the game, Melbourne appeared unfazed by this latest blow, finishing the contest with 13 points on efficient shooting.
Despite her heroics, the Storm struggled to find their rhythm, eventually falling 91-80 in what was the highly anticipated debut for new head coach Sonia Raman.
The Valkyries were led by a dominant performance from Janelle Salaun, who scored 20 points, while Burton added 16 to spoil the Storm’s opening night festivities.
Elsewhere in the WNBA, Caitlin Clark made an explosive return to the court, but it was her fiery exchange with an opponent rather than her scoring that stole the headlines.
The Indiana Fever superstar found herself at the center of a heated confrontation with Aziaha James during a tense season opener, as physical play between the two teams reached a boiling point early in the second half.
Tempers flared after James appeared to exaggerate contact during a defensive sequence, collapsing to the floor and drawing a whistle from officials.
Footage from the broadcast captured a visibly frustrated Clark walking toward James and delivering a blunt, expletive-laden assessment of the play.
‘Flopping all f***ing’ day,’ Clark appeared to say to her Dallas Wings counterpart.
