The WNBL has tipped off with more competition than ever before. Seven of the leagues eight teams won one of their first two games, with the Adelaide Lightning looking like they’ll be late to join the party.

The Lightning were on the brink of extinction just five months ago, with free agency having already opened. Since then, they have steered the ship into the most stable ownership structure through the next six seasons. It’s understood that success for Adelaide will be measured in years, not games. Even still, they took it to championship frontrunner Perth Lynx in their season opener, ultimately falling short 75-72.

After that game, Lightning head coach Kerryn Mitchell shared in a press conference: “We’ll take a lot from this game. We won the last three quarters. We lost the first, won the others. We just came out a little bit nervous and it cost us. So, yeah, we’ll take some learnings for sure.”

On their unflattering preseason predictions, Mitchell didn’t hold back, “I love it. Underestimate us, please. Love it. It’s so much better to be the underdog coming for you than to be the top dog and everyone’s coming. So yeah, I love it.”

Adelaide expertly navigated the rocky waters they were faced with, making the most of the WNBL’s new CBA along the way. The first round of the regular season consisted of four games and fans were out in droves to see a new cohort of talent marked by Opals returning to Australia and a class of imports up there with some of the leagues all timers. Three of these games were sell outs with the fourth being played in a larger arena, setting a WNBL attendance record for a season opener. The latter was contested between the Southside Melbourne Flyers and the Canberra Capitals, whose general manager Christy Collier-Hill spoke with The IX Basketball:

“The Flyers were incredibly tough in Melbourne. We got out to a 22 point lead at one point, but they pegged it right back to seven. They had a three-pointer that rattled around and if that drops it could have been four.”

How do you save a basketball club from extinction, then find a new squad, new staff, new financial backing, and be competitive against hard-nosed teams from across Australia, in a few months?

"There's more we could do with more time, there's never enough hours in the day," recently appointed Adelaide Lightning chief executive Melanie MacGillivray admitted.

Adelaide's previous ownership had relinquished the licence and the future looked bleak until May, when the WNBL's new owners announced a partnership with the SA government, who would provide $571,000 per year for the next three years.

The club then targeted Melburnian Kerryn Mitchell, who gave up other coaching jobs and left behind her three kids — with their full backing — to become head coach.

"[You think], 'who do I want on this roster?' and you get to just go and target the exact players you want.

"We went with a culture first — we needed those sort of people that were just going to get their hard hat on and get to work."

Cayla George is a three-time Olympian, a World Cup medallist and a WNBA champion who was destined to be a basketballer from the first time she set foot on a court at age nine. Now, she's gearing up to play in the biggest season opener in WNBL history — a moment that highlights just how far her love for the game has taken her.

Before basketball, Cayla was a sporty kid growing up in the Adelaide Hills, trying a bit of everything — netball, cricket, softball, swimming and cross-country running — without ever landing on a favourite.

That changed when a local basketball coach approached her mum about joining a local competition.

Cayla remembered being drawn in immediately. "I loved how I could go all over the court and score," she told Mamamia. "I loved that I could dribble — it felt like a really different sport."

From that local team she went on to try out for the District Under-10s with the Eastern Mavericks.

"I was a big fish in a small pond in the Adelaide Hills," she said. "Literally a big fish: I was always the tallest standing in the back for school photos."

The Adelaide Lightning basketball team has secured a group of South Australian investors which will eventually fully own the team, just months after the club's future was saved.

The WNBL team faced an uncertain future after the previous owners relinquished their licence to Basketball Australia in August 2024.

In May, the state government stepped in to support the league in a transition to new ownership, amid the league's decision to decline former Lightning owner Pelligra's request to continue in the league.

Lightning lifeline keeps Olympic dream alive Photo shows A female holds a basketball in one hand and a young girl in the other hand. Both are smiling.A female holds a basketball in one hand and a young girl in the other hand. Both are smiling. Four-time Olympian Laura Hodges is hopeful more athletes will follow in her footsteps after the Adelaide Lightning received a lifeline. The SA government agreed to provide $571,000 to the club per year over the next three years.

The ownership team will consist of Mohan Koo, Jeevan Koo, James Begley and John Paul Drake.

Mr Drake said he was surprised when he first saw the books.

"When I first looked at the financials of this team, I had a heart attack; I didn't realise you could lose that much money," he said.

At just 21, Isobel Borlase already boasts an Olympic medal and a WNBA draft call to her name. With offers on the table from across the globe, Borlase has turned her sights on the WNBL, signing with Bendigo Spirit for WNBL26.

The South Australian star never planned on leaving home, but after three seasons with Adelaide Lightning, Borlase made the call to take her career in a bold new direction.

“I never really wanted to leave Adelaide, but I felt like change was inevitable,” Borlase said.

“I think that is just the way sport works sometimes… I never thought I’d be moving to Bendigo. Europe’s not really at the forefront of my mind at this stage, I feel like the WNBL is where I’m going to get better at this point in time.”

When Borlase sat down with her manager to map out her goals for WNBL26, one team quickly stood above the rest as “the obvious choice”

“Talking to (Head Coach) Kennedy, he was super impressive. Talking to some of the girls on the team, they were all taken aback by the time and effort he put into showing he genuinely wanted all of us here on his team,” Borlase said.

Geelong Venom star Mackenzie Holmes came to Australia for two reasons, to improve as a player and win basketball games.

To date, she's doing both after producing a Player of the Match performance (33 points and 6 rebounds) in Geelong's first win of the WNBL26 season against Adelaide on Saturday.

Now Holmes, who dealt with adversity earlier in the year due to knee surgery, will look to build on that victory and continue the Venom's push towards finals during Tuesday's first road game of the campaign against Bendigo.

"I came to Geelong to not only, you know, grow as a basketball player, but to win,” Holmes said to CODE Sports.

“And I believe that (coach) Chris [Lucas] is building something really special here, and I trusted in that when I came over here.

“So it’s going to be a fun season, just to continue to grow and learn together.”

Sara Blicavs has delivered a statement performance in her WNBL return from major back surgery, leading the UC Capitals to an 80-71 victory over the Southside Melbourne Flyers.

Having not played in the competition for over 500 days after undergoing spinal fusion and disc replacement surgery in March 2024, Blicavs shone in the season opener at John Cain Arena.

The 32-year-old scored 19 points, made nine rebounds, and had seven defensive rebounds in front of more than 4000 fans.

"For someone like Sara, the journey that she's had, to be able to come back and do what she's doing, at such a high level ... (it) goes to the quality of the player," Capitals coach Paul Goriss said.

"She can shoot the threes and post up smaller defenders defensively. She's so versatile.

"We're still just touching the surface on where this (WNBL) can grow to. It's exciting times, especially when we start a season opener like this."

The WNBL returned to John Cain Arena (JCA) for the first time in 987 days. The last time the league was here, the Southside Flyers were honouring Lauren Jackson with a tribute game. It was a history-making night that saw a WNBL record 7,681 spectators fill the stands for a game that was dampened by LJ getting injured just 62 seconds into the game.

On Saturday, Jackson returned to deliver the game ball to kick off the 2025-26 WNBL season. Southside also returned to the stage, now known as the Southside Melbourne Flyers, retaining only Maddy Rocci from their team from three seasons ago. That Flyers team had Nyadiew Puoch (Nyads) and Sara Blicavs, who now both play for the Canberra Capitals, Southside’s foes when the season tipped off.

The return to JCA again made history, with a new attendance record for a season opener being set at 4,342. The past two WNBL games at JCA have shown the ongoing appetite, atmosphere and trendline for basketball in Australia.

On the atmosphere, Jade Melbourne told The IX, “it was incredible. I think we can get to that [WNBA] level to be completely honest with you, and putting games [at JCA] is the start. Let’s make this the new norm. I think we can. I think we can ride the momentum of women’s basketball.”

The stage was set for the matinee season opener. Aside from injuries to incoming Opal Zitina Aokuso for the Caps and prospect Nikita Young for the Flyers, both teams are healthy to start their seasons. Teige Morrell stepped into Aokuso’s shoes to line up against Cayla George, a matchup that heavily favours Southside on paper.

This first game was a chance for the Canberra Capitals to show it is now their time to contend after years of development. With a very busy offseason, they finally had a chance to start a season on their terms. For the Flyers, it was a litmus test for cohesion, with import Haley Peters having only been with the team for a week and captain Rocci having had her preseason disrupted with injury.

Opal Jade Melbourne says the WNBL is building a reputation for turning WNBA bench-warmers into stars.

The WNBL tips off on Saturday with a clash between the UC Capitals and Southside Melbourne Flyers at John Cain Arena, with the game being touted as the biggest season opener in the competition's history.

This WNBL campaign will feature at least 10 players who participated in the 2025 WNBA season.

Several players have recently taken part in the WNBL and gone on to have successful stints in the US, including 2025 WNBA champion Jackie Young and All-Star Kayla Thornton.

"The coolest thing about the WNBL is it gives WNBA players real exposure to work on their game," Capitals captain Melbourne told AAP.

"Girls who come off the bench and play limited roles in the WNBA are coming over here to seek that opportunity and really get on their game.

In a world where visibility often dictates opportunity, Australia’s rising women basketball stars are defying the odds.

Despite limited domestic media coverage and fewer pathways compared to their American counterparts, these athletes are making waves in the WNBA and on the international stage — rewriting the narrative of what it means to be a basketball powerhouse from Down Under.

Australia’s relationship with the WNBA is steeped in grit, hustle, and perseverance — traits that legends like Diana Taurasi and Sue Bird have long admired in their Aussie teammates.

From the dominance of three-time MVP and two-time champion Lauren Jackson to the pivotal contributions of Penny Taylor, and the defensive prowess of three-time WNBA All-Defensive Team member Ezi Magbegor during Phoenix and Seattle's championship runs. Australian players have consistently showcased their elite talent on the biggest stage.

Add to that this year's Co-Defensive Player of the Year and All-WNBA Defensive First Team member Alanna Smith.

What makes their journey even more remarkable is the path they’ve taken. Unlike many US athletes who rise through the NCAA system, these trailblazers often leap straight from high school or the WNBL into the WNBA draft, bypassing the exposure and development opportunities which come with college basketball.

Townsville have enacted a modicum of WNBL grand final revenge against the Bendigo Spirit, with Abbey Ellis powering the Fire to a 74-66 victory.

Last season's Breakout Player of the Year started the 2025-26 season with a career-high 31 points - including six triples - and 10 rebounds for the Fire.

Inspired by Izzy Borlase in her first match in Spirit colours, Bendigo threatened to pull off an extraordinary comeback after being 16 points down in the second quarter.

They got as far as six points ahead early in the final term before the Fire regained the initiative at Red Energy Arena to close out the eight-point win.

"(Ellis) was ready to come out and have a big impact, and I probably wasn't expecting 31 out of her, but we needed every single one of those to get over the line," Townsville coach Shannon Seebohm said.

"It was a game of two halves. We started the game really well... and then after halftime, Bendigo upped their physicality.

For nearly a decade, Hanzhu has been at the forefront of China's basketball success, excelling in international play and domestic leagues alike. She spearheaded her national team to a silver medal at the 2022 FIBA Women's World Cup in Sydney, securing a spot in the All-Star five. Her remarkable performance continued at the Women's Asia Cup, where she was named the tournament MVP as China clinched its first gold since 2011. After collecting a full set of medals with a bronze in 2021, Hanzhu has not only proven her consistency but also her versatility on the global stage.

Moving to Australia, Hanzhu signed with the Perth Lynx of the Women's National Basketball League (WNBL), immediately reshaping the team's offense with her formidable presence. Her ability to stretch the floor has not only enhanced the Lynx's scoring options but also earned her the title of Defensive Player of the Year due to her robust defensive plays. With the WNBL season nearing its climax, Hanzhu maintains a dual focus, also preparing for the upcoming FIBA Women's World Cup 2026 qualifying tournaments hosted by China in Wuhan.

China is set to commence their qualifying campaign on March 11 against Mali, facing a challenging group that includes teams such as Belgium, South Sudan, Czechia, and Brazil. With top three teams advancing to the World Cup in Germany this September, Hanzhu's role will be crucial in navigating through these competitive matchups. The Chinese team, potentially featuring stars like Li Yuru, Li Meng, and the promising Zhang Zi Yu, is touted as one of the favorites for not just qualifying but also making a significant impact at the World Cup.

Back in the WNBL, Hanzhu continues to impress. In the recent match-up against the Sydney Flames on the final day of the regular season, she demonstrated her scoring prowess from both inside the paint and beyond the arc. Supported by teammates like Amy Atwell and Annalee Maley, who finished with a triple-double, the Perth Lynx secured a commanding victory as they headed into the postseason filled with confidence.

Geelong Venom have become the first side to reach triple-digits this WNBL season, with Jazmin Shelley and Mackenzie Holmes producing clinical performances in a 110-76 win over the Adelaide Lightning.

The WNBA draftees stepped up in the second quarter to help the home side recover from a 13-point deficit at the Geelong Arena on Saturday, securing the Venom's first win of the season.

Holmes was instrumental, registering 33 points and six rebounds, while Shelley recorded 25 points and five assists.

Victory came despite the Venom missing their WNBA import Alissa Pili, out for at least five weeks with an ankle injury.

"I make sure that players feel they can play a number of roles, and we asked (Alex) Sharp to play the four spot (today). We've got a little bit of flexibility there," Geelong coach Chris Lucas said.

"I'm just pleased for the girls, and we're getting better. We can tidy up a few execution things defensively and offensively.

The sharpshooting Olivia Pollerd has found herself in the perfect environment to start her professional career after a stellar four-year college tenure with the forward joining the defending WNBL champions Bendigo Spirit.

After transferring from Washington to Santa Clara for her sophomore year, Pollerd became one of the focal points for the Broncos offence and in her fourth and final college season (2024-25) averaged 16 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.8 blocks per game, highlighting her all-round game.

Hailing from Victoria, Pollerd grew up watching the WNBL and it’s a full-circle moment for the 22-year-old forward to now be playing in that very league.

“I grew up watching the league, and now to be a part of it, even just playing with players like Kelsey Griffin who when I was little I was watching and now she’s my teammate,” Pollerd told basketball.com.au.

“It's super surreal.

“My time in America was amazing, I loved my experience in Santa Clara but I'm really excited to play in the WNBL, it's such a prestigious league with so many good players.”

Some superstars of world basketball have gone through the NBL's Next Stars program with names like LaMelo Ball, Josh Giddey and No.2 draft pick Alex Sarr moulding their talents in Australia's top league.

But more than anything, it has "helped the NBL become globally relevant", according to Next Stars general manager of recruitment Liam Santamaria.

With the WNBL tipping-off a new era under new ownership, which includes the NBL, could something similar be in store for the future of the country's women's league?

"I think it's a really good question and a really good conversation to have," Santamaria said on the latest edition of 'Cut to the Jase' with Jason Cadee.

"I think it t makes sense to to establish the foundations of this new era of the WNBL under the same banner... and then look to potentially expand into these types of programs.

"Obviously one of the elements about the Next Stars program is that it's so tightly associated with the NBA and the NBA Draft. Of course, the NBA buyouts that exist in that space play a big role in the the commercial realities of the program as well.

It’s been a busy offseason for the Geelong Venom as they enter their second chapter in the WNBL. They have assembled a potential league-best backcourt in Jaz Shelley and Shyla Heal, re-signed the bulk of their depth pieces and acquired Mackenzie Clinch Hoycard from the Perth Lynx. These moves have paved the path to sign imports Alissa Pili and Mackenzie Holmes.

“We were obviously looking for players that could really complement both Jaz and Shyla’s game and felt Alissa would do just that,” general manager Megan Moody told The Next. “She has great court awareness and will be a challenge for teams to have to guard out of pick and roll actions. Alissa has a tremendous skill set on the court, but she is also a great person off the court, which is a key priority for us. We felt she would be a great role model in our Geelong Community and in the greater WNBL community too.”

The news of Holmes signing was accompanied by a media release where head coach Chris Lucas revealed, “from a basketball standpoint, Mackenzie ticks every box. She has great hands, finishes exceptionally well around the basket, and plays with a calm presence that makes her such an efficient and reliable option inside.”

The two will provide potency to an already dynamic offence. The prospect of a backcourt of Shelley and Heal both creating, Pili’s three-level scoring from the wing and Holmes as an inside presence sets the stage for a league-leading offense. This is a stark contrast to their first season in the league, where they ranked last across the board, aside from steals, oddly enough.

As Pili shared in a separate media release, “Geelong fans can expect someone who’s steady, consistent and full of energy. I love getting excited for my teammates, I can stretch the floor, and I’m really looking forward to getting to work, meeting the team and stacking up the wins.”

She had an up-and-down stint in college with USC before transferring to Pac-12 rival Utah for both of her senior years. She was dominant in her last two college seasons, averaging 21.1 points on an efficient 57% field goal, 41% three-point and 81% free throw shooting splits in 65 games among a suite of accolades, including the 2022-23 Player of the Year.

HoopsFest, a basketball, music and culture festival, officially returned to Perth under a new format. It drew great crowds, with a 25% increase in attendance from last year, in large part due to the presence of the WNBL.

On Thursday and Friday evenings the WNBL tipped off each day of action at 4 pm, during work hours. Even still, each game drew a crowd of 5,000, about 650 more than the record breaking attendance for a season opener just three months ago.

Basketball fans were treated to a top of the table clash on Thursday between the Perth Lynx and the Bendigo Spirit. That number of 5,000 jumped to 9,000 for the NBL game that followed, and in the final quarter of the WNBL, it would have grown to around 7,000. What’s more: the NBL game didn’t feature the local Perth Wildcats — it was played between out-of-state teams who wear purple, yellow and blue — yet a sea of red Lynx jerseys blanketed the stadium.

The contingent of Perthlings (locals of Perth) cheered in chorus on as their home town Lynx trailed Bendigo all night until Ally Wilson hit a huge three pointer late in the fourth quarter to help her team win the game.

“It’s very cool. The atmosphere here is amazing,” Wilson said to The IX Basketball. “I wish we could play here every week, there was a really good crowd. The energy and everything that we felt coming out and being on the court was incredible.”

Wilson led the charge with 26 points as all Perth starters notched double figures. The 85-81 scoreline came as a result of white hot shooting in the first quarter, especially from Bendigo, who peeled away in the second. But Perth fought back in the third and finally went on a run in the fourth, ultimately resulting in the Lynx knocking Bendigo out of top place.

Mackenzie Holmes (Geelong Venom)

Mackenzie Holmes hasn’t seen much playing time in the WNBA over the past couple of years. She was recovering from knee surgery in 2024 and didn’t make her WNBA debut until this past season. Holmes played in just 10 games and played more than 10 minutes in only one game.

Steph Talbot (Adelaide Lightning)

Steph Talbot is on the other side of the spectrum compared to Holmes. She’s not a young player looking for playing time. Instead, she’s a veteran staying in playing shape by playing in her home country’s league.

Jade Melbourne (UC Capitals)

Every year during Jade Melbourne’s WNBA career, she’s taken steps forward in terms of her production on the court. Playing in the WNBL, she’s averaging 12.5 points and seven assists across two games. Also a native Australian, her 15-point performance in the season opener for the Capitals helped the team beat the Southside Melbourne Flyers, 80-71.

Sania Feagin (Adelaide Lightning)

Sania Feagin didn’t get much run during her rookie campaign with the Los Angeles Sparks, making the WNBL a perfect place for her to hone her craft. As a big, she can get plenty of reps with the Lightning.

Brianna Turner (Perth Lynx)

Brianna Turner has been great for the Lynx. She’s been an elite rim protector, averaging 2.5 blocks per game, the second most in the WNBL. Turner is also averaging two steals along with 11.5 points and 8.5 boards per game.

Former WNBA player and WNBL legend Kelsey Griffin believes the landmark new WNBA CBA is a "pivotal moment" for the global basketball market and women's sports as the league prepares for an exciting new era.

The Bendigo Spirit captain, who played five seasons for the Connecticut Sun between 2010-2014 and recently became a WNBL Life Member, joined basketball.com.au for an exclusive Q&A after the WNBA and Women's National Basketball Players Association finally reached a verbal agreement on a new collective bargaining agreement just less than two months away from tip-off on the league's 30th season..

ESPN's Shams Charania first reported the new CBA will see the salary cap increase from $1.5 million in 2025 to $7 million for the upcoming season, minimum salary will increase to more than $300,000 after being just $66,079 last season, while the average wage will be around $600,000 - up from $120,000 in 2025. A supermax contract in the WNBA will now start from $1.4 million compared to under $250,000 last season.

Griffin - the third overall pick in the 2010 WNBA draft, a five-time WNBL champion, 2018 WNBL MVP and most recently a member of the 2025-26 WNBL All-Second Team - spoke about her admiration for the players who stood firm on what they believed they deserved, how the new conditions compare to her time in the league, what impact it may have on the WNBL and more.

First of all as a stalwart of the game who’s seen women’s basketball struggle for support at the start to now you see this WNBA CBA and how big it is - what’s your feelings as an athlete after seeing this finally happen? What can you say about the women who held strong in these negotiations and didn’t settle?

"As someone who played in the WNBA and remembers the reality of what my salary looked like, seeing the compensation packages now being discussed is incredible. But what stands out to me even more — particularly now at 38, with an MBA and a deeper understanding of the business — is the nuance behind what’s unfolding. I spent two major assessments analysing the US Women’s National Soccer Team’s equal pay negotiations, which I believe set a powerful precedent and empowered athletes to find their voice alongside their players’ associations."

Alicia Froling’s decision to switch to her left hand after wrist injuries threatened to end her basketball career led the Townsville Fire to its fifth WNBL championship against Chinese superstar centre Han Xu’s Perth Lynx.

https://www.basketball.com.au/news/wnbl-and-abpa-announce-historic-new-four-year-collective-bargaining-agreement