The 2022-2023 WNBL will see 80 2022 NBL1 players suit up for the coming season, tipping off Wednesday night with the Perth Lynx hosting the Melbourne Boomers.
Across the five conferences and the Wildcard Series, the NBL1 saw some of the best Australian women's basketball the country has to offer.
The NBL1 season allows WNBL stars to hone their skills or lets young stars take that next step, check out who you need to watch from each team for the WNBL season.
Isobel Borlase - Adelaide Lightning
After a fantastic season with the Basketball Australia Centre of Excellence, Isobel Borlase will make her professional debut with the Adelaide Lightning this season.
She averaged 15 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.5 assists in her final eight games with the CoE. and had some terrific performances in the season. Scoring 25 points against the 18-2 Joondalup Wolves and single-handily pulled off a win against the NBL1 West Grand Finals runners-up the Willetton Tigers with 11 points in the fourth quarter.
Isobel Borlase had a quarter ?
— NBL1 (@NBL1) July 28, 2022
1??1?? points and 2?? steals in the final term to get CoE the win ? pic.twitter.com/5J0UpieCeH
Borlase was recently a part of the Gems winning their first-ever championship at the U18 FIBA Asian Cup and was named in the All-Star Five.
Borlase said she was excited to join her hometown team and make that step to the next level.
“I’m looking forward to my first WNBL season. I was lucky enough to train with the Lightning over the Summer and really enjoyed being challenged by veterans such as Steph Talbot," she said.
“It really is a dream come to sign my first contract with my home team."
Megan McKay - Bendigo Spirit
After a season with the Bendigo Braves, where she averaged 21 points and 12 rebounds, the star forward won’t be going far as she’ll suit up for the Bendigo Spirit this WNBL season.
Megan McKay was an integral part of the Braves' success, along with Opals star Tess Madgen. She led the Braves to the NBL1 South Finals where they lost to the Ringwood Hawks, finishing with a strong 23 points and 17 rebounds in the loss against the Hawks. She is one of five Braves on the Spirit, and that core on the team will have a lot of motivation to try to win it again in Bendigo.
McKay explained on the NBL1 Show that her success was partly due to the spacing, explaining she'd never been so open on a pick and roll. Going into the WNBL season, where she’ll have Ally Wilson, Tessa Lavey spreading the floor, she should be able to replicate her dominance inside with the Spirit.
Mia Murray - Melbourne Boomers
After a season with the NBL1 North champions, Mia Murray is set to light up the WNBL with the reigning champions the Melbourne Boomers.
With the Townsville Flames, Murray averaged 15.4 points and 6.4 rebounds and was electric in the Coles Express NBL1 National Finals -- where she averaged 13 points and made seven three-pointers across three games.
She will bring shooting and hard-nosed rebounding to the defending champs as they try to go back-to-back with the addition of a WNBL legend.
Robbi Ryan - Perth Lynx
The NBL1 West First-Teamer will suit up for the Lynx after a massive 18-2 season with the Joondalup Wolves.
The star of the team was given her shot in the WNBL under Ryan Pretik, the Coles Express NBL1 National Finals Championship coach of the men’s Rockingham Flames.
The scoring forward will be an excellent addition to the team, the 20 points per game scorer will play alongside NBL1 stars like Alex Sharp, Lauren Scherf and the recently re-signed Jessie Edwards.
Nyadiew Puoch - Southside Flyers
Nyadiew Puoch is one of Australia’s brightest young stars, coming off a gold medal performance in the FIBA U18 Women’s World Cup.
Puoch played for Basketball Australia Centre of Excellence, alongside Isobel Borlase, showing all of her athleticism and improved shooting in the NBL1 this past season.
Puoch with the hustle play
— NBL1 (@NBL1) July 24, 2022
Catch the action live on @kayosports Freebies ? pic.twitter.com/rh8TP4c637
She was part of the Australian Under 19 team that won silver at the 2021 World Cup in Hungary and she played in the Emerging Opals game against Japan earlier this year.
Playing under the GOAT Lauren Jackson, Puoch will have a great mentor and has a season of work under her legs from the NBL1 Wildcard Series, playing against some of the best the WNBL and NBL1 has to offer.
Tiana Mangakahia - Sydney Flames
The NBL1 North MVP Tiana Mangakahia is making her return to the WNBL after eight years of playing overseas and in college. Making her debut with the Townsville Fire back in the 2013/2014 WNBL season, she returns with the Sydney Flames alongside Northside Wizards teammate Shyla Heal.
On the Coles Express NBL1 show, she explained how excited she is for the WNBL season.
“I’m really excited to go down to Sydney and to learn a lot honestly,” she said.
“I think being overseas, it was difficult but fun at the same time. But now staying in Australia and showcasing my talent in the WNBL, it’s something I’m really looking forward to.”
Mangakahia averaged 28 points, 7.6 assists and 6.7 rebounds, leading the Wizards to the first round of the NBL1 North finals where they lost to Abby Cubillo’s Brisbane Capitals.
In July (across seven games) she averaged 31.7 points, with four of those opponents being finals teams.
Mikaela Ruef - Townsville Fire
The NBL1 North First Teamer Mikaela Ruef signed with the Townsville Fire, ready to show she can dominate not only at the NBL1 level but the WNBL level.
Ruef’s Thunder went 19-0 in the regular season, where she averaged 18.3 points, 17.4 rebounds and 3.5 assists
Mikaela Ruef just put on a clinic in a 96-61 W by the Logan Thunder?
— NBL1 (@NBL1) July 17, 2022
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2??5?? Rebounds
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Watch #NBL1North live and free on https://t.co/NEk1I7kIKG and the #NBL1 App ??? pic.twitter.com/TEjdFvVfiI
The Thunder lost to the Townsville Flames in the NBL1 North Grand Final, but now Ruef will join the Finals MVP Steph Reid in the WNBL. Combining two of the best from the NBL1 North for the WNBL season.
Sherrie Calleia - UC Capitals
After a fantastic season with the Mount Gambier Pioneers, Sherrie Calleia signed with the UC Capitals, joining NBL1 Youth Player of the Year Jade Melbourne.
Calleia averaged 14.8 points, 4.6 rebounds and 4.3 assists for the Pioneers as a key piece in their finals run, where they lost to the Waverley Falcons by two points in the Semi-Finals.
Calleia scored 17 points in the close loss and after a development player season with the Sydney Flames. She should be ready to make a significant impact for the Capitals off the bench this season.
