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Former Surf Life Saving Australia CEO Melissa King will take charge of the 2022 women's basketball World Cup, to be played in Sydney.

Melissa King, the first women to run Surf Life Saving Australia, has been appointed CEO of the 2022 women's basketball World Cup which will be hosted in Sydney.

King was named on Thursday to head operations for the tournament, where the No.2 ranked Opals will start as genuine title shots.

Now a non-executive director with the United Nations Association of Australia, King has an extensive background in business development, marketing, sponsorship and events.

The 2022 event will come hot on the heels of next year's Olympics, with Basketball Australia eyeing the period as crucial for the team and sport's brand in general in the country.

"I am excited about the enormous opportunity hosting the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup provides the sport and the chance to take women's basketball to the next level in this country," King said.

"We look forward to delivering a memorable event that exceeds all expectations and is worthy of these incredible athletes and our passionate supporters in the Australian basketball community."

Organising committee chairman David Reid said King's appointment would help them "deliver the best-ever Basketball World Cup, men's or women, and leave a lasting legacy for basketball in this country".

And Basketball Australia CEO Jerril Rechter said the former SLSA boss was the perfect fit.

"(It will) arguably be the biggest three years in Australian women's basketball history," she said.

"The Tokyo Olympics and Women's World Cup being played in back-to-back years presents an unprecedented opportunity to reinforce Australia as a global leader in women's sport, inspire the next generation of athletes and officials and drive the expansion of women's basketball here and around the world."