Brooke Basham finalises Tasmania's local core

South Australian guard Brooke Basham has signed with the inaugural Tasmania Jewels for the WNBL27 season, pending League approval.

Across five seasons with her hometown Adelaide Lightning, Basham proved to be a talented scorer. Especially from the mid-range and three-point line, her last WNBL season in 2024/25 resulted in a career-high 7.1 points per game.

Basham has fine-tuned her skills in NBL1, averaging 21.7 points for the Cairns Dolphins under WNBL Championship-winning assistant coach Marcus Wong.

Since the team was first announced, the former WNBL Most Improved Player has spent the past 12 months fixated on her WNBL comeback through the inaugural franchise.

“When it was first announced that Tasmania would be joining the WNBL I said to myself ‘I want to play for them’,” she 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.”

Head Coach Claudia Brassard explained her tenacious work ethic and the consistent improvements in her game clearly blend with the Jewels culture she wants to set.

“Brooke is someone who has worked hard for every opportunity she’s had, and that really matters to us,” Brassard said.

“She brings shooting, scoring punch and WNBL experience, but she also brings maturity and competitiveness. “We’re building a group that values consistency, team-first habits and high standards every day, and Brooke fits that really well.”

The Jewels have finalised their local core, with only two spots remaining on their roster for international talent. Follow WNBL on socials to see which players join the first-year franchise.

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