For Megan Mullings, the journey to the Betty Codona Trophy Final has been about trust — in her teammates, in her coach, and in the idea that success does not always look the same from one season to the next.
One of the standout performers in the women’s competition this year, Mullings arrived at the B. Braun Sheffield Hatters without expectations shaped by experience in the UK game, but with an open mind and a reputation built across a well-travelled and successful professional career.
“I didn’t really know what to expect coming to the UK,” she admits.
“I’d had a couple of friends who’d played here and they all had a really good experience, so I figured mine would be too. Everyone I spoke to said Sheffield was a strong club, that Ness is a great coach — and that helps a lot.”
Her impact did not arrive immediately. In fact, the opening night of the season delivered an unexpected reminder of what team success really looks like.
“It will haunt me forever,” Mullings laughs.
“In our first game of the season against Newcastle, I had one point and didn’t make a single field goal. I don’t know if I’ve ever done that in my professional life.”
What mattered more was the result — a comfortable Sheffield win — and the realisation that followed.
“I realised it’s not on me to have 20 points every game in order for us to win,” she explains. “Once that pressure came off, it became easier for me to find myself.”
Head Coach Vanessa Ellis’ expectations during recruitment were clear.
Rather than asking Mullings to arrive as a vocal leader, she was encouraged to bring her experience into a relatively young group — something she has done naturally, even while navigating the familiar challenges of joining a new team.
“It’s difficult a lot of the time to move to a completely new team,” Mullings says.
“To find your place, work out where you fit in. I move teams most years, so I know that feeling. It hasn’t been without its bumps and bruises, but in this group we have a lot of trust and respect for each other.”
That trust will now be tested on the biggest stage of the season. Finals basketball, Mullings insists, carries its own energy and unpredictability.
“There’s just nothing like it,” she says.
“You see things you’ve never seen before. Everyone’s going to give their very best effort.”
That culture has been reinforced by owner Vaughn Millette, whose investment in the Hatters reflects a long-term commitment to excellence, stability and the future of women’s basketball in Sheffield.
Standing opposite the Hatters will be the Caledonia Gladiators — a physical, defensively-minded side Sheffield know well. The season series stands at one win apiece, with Caledonia claiming the most recent meeting.
“That one was really sour for us,” Mullings admits.
“They beat us most recently, and I’m sure it felt great for them, but for us it stuck. Getting payback for that isn’t something we’re going to take lightly.”
She expects a demanding contest on both ends of the floor.
“They’re very strong, defensively very impressive,” she says.
“They take pride in that side of the game. But we’re a great matchup because we want to push the tempo. Both teams have to be locked in for every single moment — nothing will be easy for either of us.”
Beyond the matchup itself, this Final carries deeper meaning. The Trophy is named after Betty Codona OBE — a pioneer of women’s basketball in the UK and the founder of the Sheffield Hatters — and that legacy resonates strongly with Mullings, even as a newcomer to the league.
“I don’t know that I’ve ever won something with somebody’s name attached to it,” she says.
“Knowing this is for Betty, and the influence she’s had on so much of women’s basketball, that means a lot to me.”
Her motivation goes beyond medals.
“My biggest thing is I want to leave basketball better than how I found it,” Mullings explains.
“It seems like Betty really took pride in trying to make that happen as well, so to be able to do this in her name would rank really high for me.”
Asked what her 10-year-old self would think if she could see this moment, Mullings reflects on a journey that has taken her far beyond what she once imagined.
“I was the first in my family to get a passport, the first to go to college,” she says.
“I’ve seen the world, met amazing people, built connections everywhere.”
She pauses.
“I don’t know if she’d believe it — or even recognise me — but I hope she’d be proud.”
On Finals day in Birmingham, with silverware on the line and legacy in focus, Megan Mullings will be playing not just for a result — but for everything that has brought her to this moment.