Pat Mickan helped forge the Opals reputation as an international powerhouse in women’s basketball. During the 1970s Australia was ranked behind the Americas (North and South), Europe and Asia. During the10 years that Micka represented Australia-as the starting centre/forward-the Opals increased their world ranking to No 4.Mickan played 158 games for Australia, including as part of the first Opals team to compete at the Olympic Games in 1984 in Los Angeles. In the 1988 Seoul Olympics, Mickan was part of the Opals team who beat the Soviet Union–a team who had never previously lost a game in Olympic basketball. Mickan also became a pioneer in the national competition, playing158 WNBL games between1981 and 1989 with the West Adelaide Bearcats and North Adelaide Rockets. But it is her contribution to the identity of the Australian Opals and the culture of success the team enjoys today for which she will be most remembered.