Odude thriving and credits Eagles teammates, coach Morley

Featured image: Mark Filpo (@codexdesignstudio)

Jo Odude already couldn’t feel more at home at the East Perth Eagles with the added bonus of getting to see the sunset at Peter Campbell Basketball Arena while she just happens to be playing her best NBL1 West basketball too.

While still yet to turn 22 years of age, Odude has now already played 64 games in her NBL1 West career with each of her seasons dating back to 2019 happening at the Joondalup Wolves besides one season at the Perth Redbacks and last year when life took her to Kalgoorlie and she played with the Goldfields Giants.

She has continued to play more and have a bigger impact in each season she's played so far, and that's now continued in 2026 having joined the Eagles for the first time in her return to Perth.

Odude is now delivering 6.6 points, 7.0 rebounds and playing 16.6 minutes across her first five matches with the Eagles of which four have been wins including last Saturday night against the Perry Lakes Hawks.

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That saw Odude produce a breakout performance with 17 points, 14 rebounds and being out there for 26 minutes to see her claim the Anzac Medal after the 97-84 victory at Morley Sport and Recreation Centre.

Most importantly for Odude was to help the Eagles bounce back from their first loss of the season the previous week on her former home floor against the Wolves.

"It feels really good to bounce back and obviously we were down in the first quarter to Perry Lakes and we managed to bring that back," Odude said.

"I think it just came down to all the energy that the girls brought from the bench and the court, and even the crowd and everything. It just felt inspiring I'd say to play out there and obviously we have lost Jas (Fejo) as well.

"She was a huge part of our team so it was good to get that win for her as well knowing she was just about to leave."

Having the support of teammates

It's quite the commendable effort to win an Anzac Medal on a team where you have superstar teammates like Sarah Mortensen, Stacey Barr, Sydney Wright, Jade Williams and Brooke Malone.

But Odude knows that she couldn't have performed how she did without all those players, and the rest of her teammates, there to support her and it was a team effort in the end.

"Honestly it wouldn’t even be possible if I didn’t have players like Stacey Barr, Sarah Mortensen, Sydney Wright, Brooke Malone and when you see the score, there's also people getting assists as well and people making space, people cutting and people getting rebounds," Odude said.

"Everyone kinda works together so I think it's my win to get a medal like that but I feel like it was my team that got it for me too. It wasn’t one individual to get the medal."

Joining the Eagles for coach Morley

After spending most of her career with the Wolfpack before last year's adventure in Kalgoorlie, Odude returned to Perth in 2026 and was looking for a fresh start with her basketball.

Then when she was weighing up where to play, it soon became obvious that the Eagles would be her new home purely on the back of the presence of new coach Jonelle Morley.

After all, Morley was an assistant coach for Odude at the Wolves back in 2024 before she moved to Kalgoorlie for a year and played with the Giants in 2025.

Morley was the biggest factor in the decision to join and what the belief she has now instilled in all the players at East Perth is something she's continued to marvel at.

"To be honest I knew that I was only going to be in Kalgoorlie for one year because I was on my grad program there. I wanted kind of a fresh start and Jonelle was perfect for that," Odude said.

"She was my coach at Joondalup before I went to Kalgoorlie so it was nice to have a familiar face to go back to, and she was so welcoming. She wanted to have me down here and it was nice to feel like you were wanted.

"Honestly it feels so amazing having the support of your coach and you can never underestimate the power that comes with having a coach that believes in you.

"Before the game actually Jonelle came up to me and she told me that I have the ability to get a double-double this game.

"I honestly feel like had that hadn't happened, I wouldn’t have done what I did and got the medal for this game. She just has a huge impact on how you play and gets you to believe in yourself."

Chemistry already with Eagles group

The biggest thing that Odude has been pleasantly surprised by with this Eagles team of 2026 is how quickly they have all bonded together.

It's a completely new group in a lot of ways with not only Odude, but Mortensen, Barr, Wright, Malone, Williams, Zaya Black, Tahlia Kelly and Millie Gerreyn all joining East Perth for the first time.

Throw in the new coaching staff as well and what Odude has been blown away by is just how quickly their bond has grown as a group.

"I feel like all the girls are so inviting and welcoming, and it's honestly like anything anyone could ever ask for," Odude said.

"To play in a team where everyone believes in everyone just has such a big impact on the team culture. To play in a team where everyone has each other's backs is just so powerful, it just is."

Family feel at Eagles

Odude has also enjoyed everything about training and playing on Peter Campbell Basketball Arena at Morley Sport and Recreation Centre.

Whether it's enjoying the sunset on training nights, being undefeated on their home floor or the support of the local community, Odude loves everything about it.

"I'm loving playing our home games here and I'm also loving the big glass wall. That's honestly so nice to see the sunset and everything during training, but I just love the energy that our crowd brings for our home games here," Odude said.

"Even just after every game, obviously I haven’t been at the club for very club, but I just have so many supporters coming up to me and tell me good game and congratulating me. That just makes me feel so welcomed."