The Australian women's basketball team has always had a strong brand.

You know the names – Lauren Jackson, Penny Taylor, Michele Timms, Liz Cambage.

All global icons of the sport.

But the Opals have lost a little of their shine in recent years, especially after a stinging quarter-final exit to the USA at last year's Tokyo Olympics.

It was tough to swallow for a team used to winning, and with a World Cup in Sydney beckoning later this year, the team is determined to rebound.

Culture is Opals' buzzword

The Opals' journey starts this week at a tournament in Serbia.

They've already qualified for the World Cup as the host nation, but they'll face other teams vying to join them in Sydney in September.

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"It's a fresh start for us," Opals coach Sandy Brondello told ABC Sport.

"We've got a good culture, we need to make it a great culture. We took a step back a little bit last year, so [there are] things we can work on and be better.

"And we faced a lot of adversity, and I don't think we handled it as well as we could, but things were out of our control."

That included a lack of game time in the lead-up to the Olympics due to COVID, and Liz Cambage's withdrawal on the eve of the Games.

And culture is the buzzword for the Opals now, as they aim to get back on track.

"These players are really special. It's not just being a great basketball player, they have to be really, really great people and that's where it starts," Brondello said.

No Cambage rings in defensive era

Cambage has already said she has "zero" interest in representing the Opals at the World Cup, but Brondello believes the squad is "more united" without her. 

And the absence of one of the best players in the world means the Australians need a new game plan.

"Obviously, she's a great player, but now we can play in a different style," said Brondello.

"Get back to the old days of real, gritty, tough defenders and be a defensive team, let our defence create our offence."

Opals forward Steph Talbot has bought in to the new approach.

"I think one of the positives about being an Aussie is our culture and how close we are and I think we can take that to another level," the Adelaide Lightning WNBL captain said.

"We've really narrowed down on what type of team we want to be, and I think at the top is defence.

Opals captain Jenna O'Hea hasn't made the trip to Serbia to focus on her mental health, while Ezi Magbegor is out injured.

Leilani Mitchell (pregnancy) and Katie Ebzery (retired) are the other big names missing, handing Shyla Heal and Maddison Rocci their international debuts. 

Eyes on the World Cup prize

As one of the game’s greats Lauren Jackson prepares to make her comeback in the second-tier NBL1 East competition, there have been some suggestions she could make a remarkable return to the Opals for the World Cup.

But they’re not listening to the noise, instead focusing on this week’s test in Serbia, and the ultimate prize up for grabs later this year.

"The highlights of my career was when we had major tournaments here in 1994, we had the World Cup, and then Sydney Olympics," Brondello said.

"It means a lot to these players. We were disappointed, everyone was disappointed with our result [in Tokyo], but we got an opportunity to show what the Opals are about.

"I think as an Opal, [winning is] always a goal," Talbot added.

"We want to be on that podium and it would be great to be at the top of the podium for sure."

The final 12 teams to contest the World Cup will be decided over the next few days at simultaneous tournaments in Serbia, Japan and the USA.