Lady Liberty: Fowler on fire after earning WNBA deal

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Australian Opals and Townsville Fire WNBL championship forward Alex Fowler has been rewarded for an exceptional past year with a WNBA contract after the New York Liberty signed her to a development player contract for the remainder of the 2026 season.

Fowler made a good first impression with the Liberty after spending training camp with the Brooklyn-based franchise before playing two pre-season games, where she averaged four points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.5 steals in those appearances.

She is the second Australian and Fire player to earn a development player contract after WNBL teammate Miela Sowah was signed by the Golden State Valkyries.

Fowler's latest achievement caps-off a dominant past year in the court, where she led the Opals to their first FIBA Asia Cup gold medal as the tournament MVP, where even national team coach Sandy Brondello said on basketball.com.au podcast, Cut to the Jase, she wasn't in the picture for the squad before breaking through and becoming a key part of the team.

She then helped lead Shannon Seebohm's Fire to the WNBL championship, where she averaged 10.8 points as well as 6.2 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.1 steals in 28 games. Fowler also shot 51.4% from the field and 40.5% from beyond the arc.

A Townsville Basketball junior and WNBL Rookie of the Year in 2024, Fowler is no stranger to playing in the US after a successful four-year college career from 2019-23 at the University of Portland Pilots, where she became the school's all-time leader in points, field goals made, field goal percentage and rebounds.

As part of the new CBA in the WNBA, each franchise can have two players on development player contracts, where those players can play up to 12 games during the season and can earn up to USD $90,000 or more than $124,000 AUD.

Players on development player contracts can practice, travel, train and stay integrated with the main roster.

Fowler also played last NBL1 West season for the Perry Lakes Hawks and was signed to play for the Willeton Tigers this season but will not suit up now due to WNBA commitments.