Lynx star Brittany McPhee shares sunny Christmas with twin Jordan



Athletic twins, basketballer Brittany McPhee with her sister Jordan, who is a track and field champion.Picture: Sharon Smith The West Australian





Twins Brittany and Jordan McPhee have lived in each other’s pockets for most of their lives.

But tomorrow will be one of the rare times when Jordan has watched Brittany playing basketball from the grandstand.

Raised in Seattle, the McPhees were inseparable as children.

They shared a bedroom, went to girl scouts and played basketball, tennis and soccer while growing up. 

But after graduating from Mount Ranier High School, the pair went to college almost 1400km apart.

Brittany’s outstanding basketball performances at Stanford University led to her being recruited by the Perth Lynx. 

Jordan switched colleges and sports this year, focusing on athletics while studying for her masters in business administration at Gonzaga University. 

A 1500m runner, Jordan flew to Australia last week and will spend the next month in Perth.

“It’s exciting to just be hanging out again,” Brittany said.

“We only saw each other for a couple of weeks per year at college. We’re used to being apart now and we still talk a lot but it will be good to get a solid month together. It’s super nice. 

“I haven’t been lumped in as a twin for a while. I’d like to get back to that. I miss it.”

Having come from America’s winter, Jordan is relishing Perth’s sunshine. 

The Lynx play and practise just 500m from the WA Athletics Stadium, which provides Jordan with the opportunity to watch her sister while still training. The 22-year-olds are eagerly anticipating their first summer Christmas and intend to soak up the beach while their family are shivering in America.

But Christmas pales in comparison to Jordan’s excitement at finally getting to see Brittany playing for Perth. She said tomorrow’s match against the Sydney Uni Flames would be a special moment.

“Watching her play is one of my favourite things,” she said.

“I haven’t played with her since high school and that was so much fun. Watching her play is the next best thing. I could never beat her at basketball. I was always better at running.”