The 1.94m centre has signed with the Otago Goldrush this season and has made a strong start to the Women's Basketball Championship.
A graduate of Arizona State University, she leads the league in rebounds, averaging 13.5 a game, and offensively, she has chipped in with an average of 11 points a game.
It seems the 23-year-old is good for a double-double most nights, but she hopes to offer more offensively when the WBC resumes in Christchurch tomorrow.
''I've never had that real scoring mentality,'' Bennett said. ''I'm always quick to pass it but while I'm here, they are really trying to help me change my mindset so I can score more.''
Otago won three of its four matches in Rotorua last month and is well placed to qualify for finals in Porirua next month. One win from the remaining four round-robin games would probably be enough for the Goldrush to book a spot in the finals, but it is aiming for a clean sweep. You might say the Otago players are hungry for victory.
''In the last three weeks we've made a team pact to train one or two times a day and we haven't actually been eating lollies or baked goods. We've been on a stricter diet... and we've actually come together and are playing really well together. We had only been together three days before the last tournament so I have a good feeling about this tournament.''
Basketball is her ticket to travel the world, and when she is done playing she plans to use her degree in design to create furniture.
Bennett met Goldrush coach Brent Matehaere in China last year when she was there with an all-star college team and Matehaere was working as the assistant coach of the New Zealand under-19 team. When her professional stint with Lider Pruszkow, in Poland, was winding up, she emailed Matehaere asking when the season started here.
''He said, I can fly you out on March 30, and I was like, OK.''
Bennett missed an opportunity to travel here with her college team when the trip was delayed a year. But now she is soaking up the culture.
''So far, it has been really great. The team have been amazing to me and Dunedin is gorgeous. It is a little chilly, though.
''I've actually tried a lot of things I have not experienced before. I had lamb for the first time. I had a mince pie. Just little things like that.
''Oh, I tried Marmite and it is not good.''
The big weekend
Women's Basketball Championship
The standings
Waikato Wizards 8, Hutt Valley Porirua Flyers 8, Otago Goldrush 7, Rotorua Lady Vols 6, Nelson Sparks 6, Auckland Lady Hawks 5, Canterbury Wildcats 5, Harbour Breeze 5, Taranaki Thunder 4.
Otago Goldrush draw
• Tomorrow: v Auckland Lady Hawks, 5pm
• Saturday: v Hutt Valley Porirua Flyers, 5pm
• Sunday: v Nelson Sparks, 9am, v Canterbury Wildcats, 2pm
All games are in Christchurch.
Goldrush squad
Janet Main, Suzie Bates, Morgan Hunter, Summer Roberts, Samara Gallaher, Danielle Calnan, Kelly Groot, Natalie Smith, Aleisha Ruske, Grace Allan, Kali Bennett, Soraya Umaga-Jensen, Kelly Nafatali, Courtney Landreth, Jacqui Lodge.
