Australian basketball player and four-time WNBA All-Star Liz Cambage is temporarily out of the mix after testing positive to COVID-19 in the US.

The Las Vegas Aces centre has been placed under the WNBA’s heath and safety protocols after her positive test.

“She is fully vaccinated, experiencing mild symptoms, and will continue to isolate until she is cleared to return to play pursuant to the Protocols,” the club said in a statement.

Cambage has averaged 14.7 points and 8.4 rebounds per game across 24 matches for the Aces this season.

They sit in second place in the overall league standings with a 19-7 record.

Tweet from @LVAces

It comes amid a topsy turvy few months both on and off the court for the athlete.

In July, the 30-year-old withdraw last minute from the Tokyo Olympics, citing mental health concerns including panic attacks.

“Every athlete competing in the Olympic Games should be at their mental and physical peak, and at the moment, I’m a long way from where I want and need to be,” she said at the time.

“It’s no secret that in the past I’ve struggled with my mental health and recently, I’ve been really worried about heading into a ‘bubble’ Olympics.

“The past month I have been having panic attacks, not sleeping and eating.”

It had earlier been reported that Cambage faced being booted from the Opals’ Tokyo team over alleged misconduct.

She was investigated after claims she was involved in a physical and verbal spat with members of the Nigeria team at an Olympics warm-up match.

There were also claims she had breached the Australian team’s ‘bubble’.

Cambage has vehemently denied the rumours.

Opals lost without Cambage

Three-time silver medallists, the Opals took the absence of their star player hard.

They were pushed out of the Tokyo Games early after a devastating 79-55 loss to a ruthless US team.

Coach Sandy Brondello said the team struggled to find their “identity” without Cambage.

“Liz, she’s one of the best players in the world,” Brondello said.

Her shock decision to pull out was unexpected after earlier backing down from a threat to boycott the games in May.

At the time, Cambage accused sponsors of “white-washing” the nation’s representatives in two promotional photoshoots.

The Jockey advertisement which triggered Cambage’s response. Photo: Jockey

The Nigerian-Australian took issue with photos for the team’s official underwear supplier Jockey, and another image unveiling Team Australia’s  uniform, for not including any athletes of colour.

“If I’ve said it once I’ve said it a million times,” Cambage wrote.

“HOW AM I MEANT TO REPRESENT A COUNTRY THAT DOESN’T EVEN REPRESENT ME #whitewashedaustralia.”

The star player has been a brand ambassador for Savage x Fenty, a lingerie line created by Grammy-award winning singer Rihanna, since February 2021.

She was the first professional athlete to endorse the brand.

-with AAP