'Love being a mum': New flame ignites Nicholson's return

• The Sydney Flames start their season on the road against Geelong on October 18
• Nicholson is a two-time champion in 2017 with Sydney and 2023 with Townsville
• She gave birth to son, Ari, in April and missed the 2024-25 WNBL season

Lauren Nicholson is back on deck with the Sydney Flames and ready to bring her signature grit and determination back to the WNBL, returning with a newfound perspective six months after giving birth to her first child.

A two-time WNBL Champion and two-time WNBL Defensive Player of the Year, Nicholson sat out last season before giving birth to her son Ari in April, and while it’s all a balancing act, she can’t wait to get things started in season 2025-26.

“I feel like I have a whole different perspective now,” she told basketball.com.au.

“Being a mum definitely comes first but it makes you also appreciate basketball a little bit more.

“I realised having some time away that I just love playing the game and I was very excited to get back to it. It's very different now, but it's been a fun transition. I feel like I have a pretty good baby, so I’m pretty lucky, I’m not too sleep deprived.

“I love being a mum. Ari is the best.”

With the number of mums across the WNBL growing by the season, Nicholson spoke about the incredible female athletes around the league.

“I think it’s really special and I've seen a few mums do it before me, and I think that's what kind of inspired me,” she said.

“I thought to myself, ‘I can get back and do this’. I play with Mikhaela [Cann] who has three children and she's arguably the fittest on our team or in the league, so it’s incredible.

“It just shows what you are capable of as a female athlete.”

Nicholson returned to the court just three months after giving birth, playing for her hometown Sutherland Sharks in the NBL1 East and proceeded to completely dominate. While she only played in four games, she definitely left her mark.

In her second game back, she dropped 48 points, to go along with seven assists, seven rebounds and four steals. As if that wasn’t enough, a couple of weeks later she hit the mid-century mark, finishing with a ridiculous 51 points (6-from-10 from three), 11 rebounds, six assists and three steals.

“I love going back and playing for the Sharks, it's my favourite team to play for just because it's where I grew up,” Nicholson said.

“I thought it was important for me to play a few games and to get back in game shape before the WNBL came around and I'm really glad that I did that.”

With the Flames signing import guard Grace Berger, to play alongside Nicholson and Shaneice Swain, they have put together one of the best backcourt trios in the league. Individually, they bring something different to the court, and collectively, they will cause headaches for the rest of the WNBL.

“I think we really complement each other nicely,” Nicholson said.

“Grace is a good facilitator, can do a little bit of everything, which is really cool. Shaneice is obviously a prominent scorer and can really shoot the ball. I think I bring something different as well, just on the defensive end and from a leadership perspective, so I think we'll all balance nicely.

“I'm excited to get that trio rolling.”

Another addition to the Flames, Agnes Emma-Nnopu, has also caught Nicholson’s attention. Much like the Flames veteran, Emma-Nnopu is relentless and when those two share the court together, you get the feeling good things will happen for Sydney.

“Agnes is a machine,” Nicholson said.

“She's probably the person that's impressed me the most this preseason.

“She can get rebounds over about five people, so it's unbelievable. She's athletic, long and can really play up the floor on defence, so I think she'll be exciting to watch.”

Every single game, you know what you’re going to get from Nicholson, and it all starts on the defensive end. She’s the type of player you love to play with, but playing against her is an absolute nightmare.

She brings maximum effort on every possession on both ends of the court - that is what she has made a career out of, so don’t expect that to change any time soon.

About the Author

Hayley Wildes is passionate about all things Australian women’s basketball and loves to highlight the stories of players from all levels and competitions across the globe. From our own backyard in the WNBL, to the WNBA and the Opals, and everything in between, Hayley has you covered.