Australian basketballer Liz Cambage has strutted her stuff at Paris Fashion Week, appearing virtually unrecognisable with a haunting look.
Cambage hit the runway at the Palais de Tokyo in Paris last week as part of Paris Fashion Week Fall 2026 for Rick Owens, a Paris-based American fashion designer best known for his edge “glunge” (glamour and grunge) clothing designs.
She shared photos and videos of her modelling an all-black outfit featuring leather boots and shorts, along with a black-camouflage jacket.
Cambage completed the ensemble with what appeared to be black contact lenses that made her eyes completely dark, in a seriously bold look.
“Nothing but love for my @rickowensonline family” Cambage she on Instagram.
“Such an honour and blessing to be apart of Rick’s extraordinary world once again.”
The 34-year-old is an avid fashion aficionado and made her Paris runway debut in 2024 with Rick Owens. She has also modelled for the Grace Ling fashion label.
On the basketball court, Cambage is still playing professionally for Sichuan Yuanda of the Women’s Chinese Basketball Association.
Cambage joined the Chinese league in 2024 on a reported $1 million per season deal after announcing she was ending her successful stint in America’s WNBA in 2022.
The Aussie parted ways with the Los Angeles Sparks in a mid-season “contract divorce” on the eve of the WNBA playoffs.
“I’ve decided to step away from the league for the time being and I’m hopeful that the WNBA will do their part in creating safer environments and a stronger support system for their players,” Cambage said at the time.
“Playing for the Sparks was a dream come true and I’m honoured to have shared the court with such amazing ladies for as long as we did. I’m sorry to have left abruptly and I wish it would have ended on a different note.”
Cambage’s career has been plagued by controversy in recent years. She pulled out of the Opal’s Tokyo Olympic campaign after allegations she used a racial slur towards Nigerian players during a warm-up game.
Former Opals captain Jenna O’Hea confirmed Cambage had told the Nigerian players: “Go back to your third world country.”
News Corp revealed she physically lashed out at Nigerian players and referred to her opponents as “monkeys”, which Cambage has repeatedly denied.
“I don’t really lean towards racially backed insults,” she said in 2023.
“That’s not how I go.
“I’m very pro-Black. I did not say these things to these girls.”
The Australian has slammed the Opals and said she had “zero” interest in representing her country at this year’s World Cup.
In light of Cambage’s departure from the Sparks, footage emerged of an awkward press conference in July, where she is seated next to Sparks teammates, Nneka and Chiney Ogwumike.
In the video, the Ogwumike sisters — who are Nigerian — could be seen squirming uncomfortably and even rolling their eyes as Cambage spoke about her return from Covid-19.
Cambage was ejected from a game in China in 2024 after committing two flagrant fouls against opponents.
She then yelled in the face of an official, skipped down the baseline and bowed to the crowd before leaving the court.
It has since been reported one of Nigeria’s star players would “welcome” Cambage into the team as she continues her international wilderness.
“If she (Liz) wants to play she is welcome to the family,” Elizabeth Balogun said.
“We accept all Nigerian natives on the team, so she is totally welcome.”
The Australian centre has previously said she was trying to register to play for Nigeria but it was not greeted with enthusiasm from the country’s players at the time.
Balogun is part of a Nigeria side that has made the quarter-finals at the Paris Olympics – the first African side, men or women, to do so.
She was on the court during that fateful game against Australia in 2021 and says it “put the fire in us” to push on to greater heights.