WNBL Breakout Player of the Year Award

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The WNBL Breakout Player of the Year (formerly the WNBL Youth Player of the Year Award) is an annual Women's National Basketball League (WNBL) award given since the 1988 WNBL season. The award is named the Betty Watson Breakout Player of the Year Award. [1] [2]

The award underwent a makeover for the 2019–20 season with new criteria seeing Australian players 23 years old or under eligible for Youth Player of the Year, replacing the long-standing Rookie of the Year. [3] In 2022–23, the award was again redefined, to acknowledge any breakout player with an improved overall performance each season. [4]

Winners

Denotes player inducted into the Australian Basketball Hall of Fame
Denotes player who is still active
Player (X)Denotes the number of times the player had won at that time
Team (X)Denotes the number of times a player from this team had won at that time
SeasonPlayerPositionNationalityTeam
1988 Lucille Hamilton Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia Australian Institute of Sport
1989 Renae Fegent Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia Australian Institute of Sport (2)
1990 Trisha Fallon Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia Australian Institute of Sport (3)
1991 Michelle Brogan Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia Noarlunga Tigers
1992 Allison Cook Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia Melbourne Tigers
1993 Allison Cook (2)Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia Melbourne Tigers (2)
1994 Maryanne Difrancesco Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia Melbourne Tigers (3)
1995 Chika Emeagi Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia Australian Institute of Sport (4)
1996 Jessica Bibby Guard Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia Dandenong Rangers
1997 Lauren Jackson Forward/center Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia Australian Institute of Sport (5)
1998 Andrea Cartledge Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia Melbourne Tigers (4)
1998–99 Caitlin Ryan Guard Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia Dandenong Rangers (2)
1999–00 Shelley Hammonds Center Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia Australian Institute of Sport (6)
2000–01 Laura Summerton Forward Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia Australian Institute of Sport (7)
2001–02 Alison Downie Forward Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia Dandenong Rangers (3)
Kamala Lamshed Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia Adelaide Lightning
2002–03 Kelly Wilson Guard Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia Australian Institute of Sport (8)
2003–04 Kathleen MacLeod Guard Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia Australian Institute of Sport (9)
2004–05 Renae Camino Guard Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia Australian Institute of Sport (10)
2005–06 Abby Bishop Forward/center Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia Australian Institute of Sport (11)
2006–07 Cayla Francis Forward/center Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia Australian Institute of Sport (12)
2007–08 Nicole Hunt Guard Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia Australian Institute of Sport (13)
2008–09 Sarah Graham Guard Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia Logan Thunder
2009–10 Tayla Roberts Forward/center Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia Australian Institute of Sport (14)
2010–11 Gretel Tippett Forward/center Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia Logan Thunder (2)
2011–12 Carley Mijović Forward Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia Australian Institute of Sport (15)
2012–13 Stephanie Talbot Guard Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia Adelaide Lightning (2)
2013–14 Alex Wilson Guard Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia Townsville Fire
2014–15 Lauren Scherf Forward Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia Dandenong Rangers (4)
2015–16 Alex Ciabattoni Forward Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia Adelaide Lightning (3)
2016–17 Monique Conti Guard Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia Melbourne Boomers
2017–18 Ezi Magbegor Forward Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia Canberra Capitals
2018–19 Jazmin Shelley Guard Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia Melbourne Boomers (2)
2019–20 Ezi Magbegor (2) Forward Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia Melbourne Boomers (3)
2020 Shyla Heal Guard Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia Townsville Fire (2)
2021–22 Ezi Magbegor (3) Forward Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia Melbourne Boomers (4)
2022–23 Isobel Borlase Guard Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia Adelaide Lightning (4)
2023–24 Alex Sharp Guard Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia Canberra Capitals (2)

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References

  1. Australian Basketball Hall of Fame. Betty Watson OAM. Retrieved 19 December 2015.
  2. Basketball Australia (14 July 2007). Francis named Rookie of the Year. Retrieved 23 January 2016.
  3. "WNBL NAMES END OF SEASON AWARDS AND WNBL ALL-STAR FIRST & SECOND TEAMS". wnbl.basketball.
  4. "CYGNETT WNBL ANNOUNCE CANDIDATES FOR 2022/23 AWARDS". wnbl.basketball.