Six of the best moments by Aussies in the WNBA

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The WNBA has been graced with some stellar moments. From record-breaking feats to MVP titles, to unlikely comebacks, to championships, Australian talent has played the role of catalyst in many of these.

Here are the six best moments by Aussies in the WNBA since the league started in 1997.

1. Erin Phillips – 2012 Finals Upset

Erin Phillips’ 2012 WNBA season was modest. She averaged 6.1 points per game, with a healthy 44% clip from three-point territory fueling her offense. But it was her 2012 WNBA finals run which Phillips will hang her hat on as one of the most important stretches of her career.

Facing off against the Indiana Fever were calling for strong contributions beyond star Tamika Catchings, and Phillips ensured this didn’t fall on deaf ears. After only exceeding 30 minutes in two of her six contests leading up to the finals, Phillips embraced the added responsibility that was placed on her, playing over 30 minutes in each finals match. Phillips scored in double figures in all four games as an efficient scoring option in the starting lineup, with her strongest performance left till last, helping to seal the title in Game 4.

She scored 18 points, scoring on half her attempts, including from range, and collected three vital offensive rebounds in a 9-point win.

2. Trailblazer Timms: The Aussie who Opened America’s Door

Michele Timms has been labelled the trailblazer of Australian female basketball, setting the foundation for Australian representation in basketball worldwide. Making history twice, the fearless guard wasn’t only the first to conquer Europe — signing for a foreign-based basketball team in Germany but also broke new ground in 1997 as the first Australian to compete in the WNBA.

Her WNBA legacy is profound: the first Australian to be named a WNBA All-Star alongside current Opals coach Sandy Brondello in 1999, and her #7 jersey was retired by the Phoenix Mercury — an indicator of the hard edge she played with, and the impact she had at the franchise.

However, the definition of Timms’ legacy stretches beyond accolades — she carved the path that generations of Australian basketballers have walked through, handing Australian basketball a well-received reputation for the quality of talent they produce.

3. Lauren Jackson’s MVP Triumph

Lauren Jackson’s 11 years with the Seattle Storm were dominant. During her long-winded tenure, the Australian legend terrorised the league, with nine consecutive top 10 finishes in the MVP race. Though, Jackson’s most impressive achievement was in her third season. Her 2003 year netted her the MVP, the first of 3, and the first time an international player had won a MVP trophy in the WNBA, an incredible achievement.

Jackson’s efforts collected her 21 points (1st), nine rebounds (4th), and two blocks (3rd) per contest, helping Seattle to become a top three offense. Despite holding a modest 18-16 record and failing to make the playoffs, Jackson ranking #1 in win-shares highlighted Jackson’s importance to the team. Jackson described the achievement as "the best thing that any female basketball player could want in her career" according to stormbasketball.com.

4. Wally's Comeback After 2 ACLs — Kristy Wallace

Kristy Wallace’s return to basketball action in 2022 with the Atlanta Dream stands as one of Australian basketball’s most inspiring comeback stories, making it one of the more heartwarming WNBA moments. Wallace produced a memorable college career at Baylor, now ranked in the top 5 all-time for assists and three-pointers made, with a reputation defensively as well. However, Wallace was faced with some wretched fate, picking up an ACL tear in her final college game in 2018.

Though, her "combination of size and scoring ability" according to the Dream’s then head coach Nicki Collen was a driving force in Wallace getting selected 16th overall in 2018, for the potential she possessed. Devastatingly, Wallace’s recovery was stifled as within two games of returning through the WNBL with the Canberra Capitals, she would be sidelined for the 2019 and 2020 seasons of the WNBA.

Described by Basketball Australia as "one of basketball’s poster girls for resilience" Wallace’s arduous journey back to the WNBA would consist of stints in the NBL1, WNBL and at national level with the Australian Opals — headlined by a work rate that helped her earn 6th Woman of the Year honours in 2022.

Her perseverance paid off when the Atlanta Dream took on her services for the 2022 season, demonstrating their belief. Her return game on May 7, 2022, was not remembered for her stat line, but her determination to defy the odds, marking a triumphant conclusion to her prolonged injury battle.

5. Cambage All-Time Single Game High — 53-Piece

Liz Cambage had a stellar 2018 WNBA campaign, finishing 2nd in MVP voting, and was selected as both an All-Star and WNBA first-team member. Her season averages were impressive, with 23 points (1st in WNBA), nine rebounds and two blocks per contest, however on July the 18th, 2018 (Australian time), she made history.

At the time, Cambage had been without a 25-point performance for two weeks — the last against a meagre Chicago Sky in a 23-point win having scored 37.

In four of her last five contests, she hadn’t exceeded 20 points. However, Cambage spearheaded their 6th win in seven, emphatically.

Cambage delivered with 53 points on 13-17 shooting in a 104-87 win over the New York Liberty, breaking the WNBA single-game scoring record which was previous set by Riquna Williams 5 years ago in 2015 (51).  Impressively, she hit on 4 of her 5 3-point attempts — something she hadn’t done more than once in a game to that point of the season. She also converted on 15 of her 16 free throw attempts, secured 10 rebounds, and had five blocks, signifying a well-rounded and dominant performance on both ends of the floor.

While the Wings season fell away losing eight of their last nine games to end off the season, Cambage’s performances didn’t waver, having six more 25+ point games in that time. While those performances are forgotten, Cambage’s record-breaking night will be remembered as one of the best performances in the WNBA history, let alone by an Australian.  

6. Brondello Player to Championship Coach

Sandy Brondello is one of the more famous names in Australian women's basketball history.

Having played for five years in the WNBA as a part of her illustrious basketball playing career, Brondello was not allergic to the spotlight, named an All-Star in 1999.

However, it’s Brondello’s evolution into a WNBA coach which has produced an abundance of WNBA highlights. One of her more recent achievements has been transforming the New York Liberty, led by former #1 pick Sabrina Ionescu, and 2-time MVP Breanna Stewart. Becoming the head coach in 2022, Brondello has been a part of revolutionising the team. In 2023, she pioneered the Liberty’s run to their first WNBA Finals appearance since 2002.

The following year, they would win their first WNBA Championship in franchise history, bringing a championship to the city for the first time in over 50 years.  Brondello is the first Australian to play in the WNBA and win a championship as a coach, capping off an achievement that deserves to be celebrated.