The top 25 WNBL players of the last 25 years

We've used science, statistics, and some subjectivity to rank the WNBL's most meaningful contributors since the turn of the century.

Photo credit: Getty Images

It’s the business end of the WNBL season, and with the league preparing for a new dawn, now seems as good a time as any to look back at the best players of the last 25 years. Unlike the NBL, it’s local talent that’s dominated the women’s basketball landscape in Australia for the past quarter century, with imports mostly complementing the league’s incredible homegrown stars.

But how on earth does one even begin to fairly rank the contributions of our game’s greatest players across the last quarter century? I’m glad you asked! I’ve devised the following metric to rank the WNBL’s greatest contributors since the 1999/2000 season. It’s a straightforward points system that rewards players based on both personal achievements and team success. A player is awarded 6 points for winning a League MVP, 3 points for Finals MVP or All-WNBL Team honours, and 2 points for winning a championship, being named Defensive Player of the Year, or any of the Rookie, Youth, or Breakout Player awards.

Additionally, the points system also only recognises players selected to the All-WNBL First Team, as Second Team honours were only introduced in 2018. Any achievements made prior to the 1999-00 season are not eligible, while any international accolades, while incredibly impressive, are also omitted, as this solely focuses on contributions made in the WNBL.

It should also be noted, I’m sure there’s at least one egregious error here. Maybe more. WNBL stats can be notoriously tricky to find and fact check. But without further ado, let the countdown begin…

25. Erin Phillips - 11 points (3x All WNBL Team, 1x Champion)

Did any star shine as brightly as Phillips’ during the Lightning’s resurgence in the late 00’s? Put simply, Phillips made the game fun. She was a natural, who played the game with flair, flash, and ferocity, usually with a smile on her face. The homegrown star was the centrepiece of the Lightning’s 2007/08 title, a feat made all the more impressive considering she wasn’t just coming back from a torn ACL, but also weathering the internal turmoil that saw coach Chris Lucas sacked mid-season.

Just like several other players on this list, her standing would’ve likely been higher had she spent more than just six seasons in Adelaide - including one with a busted knee. But her departure was ultimately for the greater good, chalking up two WNBA titles and a Euroleague All-Star nod, before she became the AFLW’s first genuine trailblazer, winning dual Best and Fairests, and three premierships.