Aces’ Liz Cambage refocused after resting during Olympic break

Liz Cambage needed a break. From basketball. From the rigors of life as a professional athlete. From everything.

“I had no idea how exhausted and stressed and broken I was,” the Aces’ All-Star center said. “I pulled out (of the Olympics). I slept for a week. And then it took me another three days to get out of bed. And then I went straight back to work.”

Cambage re-emerged from the Olympic break Sunday with 17 points and seven rebounds against the Washington Mystics at Michelob Ultra Arena, keying the biggest fourth-quarter comeback in franchise history with her dominant two-way play in an 84-83 victory.

The 29-year-old hadn’t played for the Aces since July 7 but is energized after five weeks of rest. She played to a team-high plus-10 against the Mystics, who meet the Aces again Tuesday.

“There’s a different place or a different demeanor about her right now,” Aces coach Bill Laimbeer said. “She’s very driven. She wants to win a championship. She knows she can contribute, and it’s just a presence right now that I haven’t seen all the time that I’ve been with her.”

Cambage was in the midst of another productive season for the Aces, averaging 14.8 points, 8.9 rebounds, 1.7 blocks and anchoring one of the WNBA’s best defenses. She was supposed to be the centerpiece of the Australian national team at the Tokyo Olympics, but withdrew while the team was training in Las Vegas.

Long an advocate for mental health, Cambage wrote on Twitter and Instagram that she had experienced panics attacks and bouts of insomnia in the weeks preceding the trip to Tokyo. She expounded on her decision after Sunday’s game, noting she was “in a place where I can’t give you anything. (When) I’m exhausted. I can’t give anyone anything.

“Thinking about coming back here after the Olympics, I was just so overwhelmed,” she said. “So I’m really happy I took the break. I put me first. I put the Aces first, because if I went to the Olympics, there would have been no way I could have returned to play.”

After resting for 10 days, Cambage returned to Los Angeles to train. She rejoined the Aces last week, healthy and happy and determined to play her part in their quest for a championship.

“We’re hooping. My job is one of the best games in the world — in Vegas, with a bunch of dope girls, dope fans, stars, organization,” Cambage said. “We can get caught up in how serious it is, but at the end of the day, I hoop for a living. And it’s the biggest blessing in the world.”

Contact reporter Sam Gordon at sgordon@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BySamGordon on Twitter.