Brooke Basham has signed with the Tasmania Jewels as the expansion club’s final Australian rostered player for its debut WNBL season, crediting backyard battles with her two older brothers for shaping her toughness.
The 28-year-old shooting guard said the opportunity to represent Tasmania was one she couldn’t pass up.
“When it was first announced that Tasmania would be joining the WNBL I said to myself ‘I want to play for them’,” Basham said.
“I’ve followed the JackJumpers since they started and everything Tasmania stands for resonates with me and the Jewels will be a part of that and I want to be part of the Jewels.”
The South Australian said she was thrilled when the club reached out through her agent.
“Kayla emailed my agent saying, ‘we’d love to talk to Brooke about playing here’ and I was shocked in the most exciting way,” she said.
“Then I spoke with Claudia and my heart was set.”
Basham has played five WNBL seasons with Adelaide Lightning, including a breakout Most Improved Player performance in WNBL25 and is currently playing NBL1 for the Cairns Dolphins.
Jewels head coach Claudia Brassard said Basham’s work ethic made her a standout recruit.
“She brings shooting, scoring punch and WNBL experience, but she also brings maturity and competitiveness,” Brassard said.
“We’re building a group that values consistency, team-first habits and high standards every day and Brooke fits that really well.”
Basham said her path to the WNBL was not always smooth. She was not selected as a development player until her early 20s and held that role for three or four years before earning a full roster spot.
“Growing up with two older brothers, beating me up in backyard basketball, really shaped the way I play and train hard,” she said.
“I hope I can be that role model to others, to show that there’s not one single path to your dream, you can carve your own way there.”
Her signing is subject to league review and approval, leaving the Jewels with two import spots to fill.
General public memberships go on sale at 9am on Tuesday, with the Jewels’ first game set for October 15 at MyState Bank Arena in Hobart.
