Hoops and dreams: Izzy Borlase takes her shot

She’s the daughter of a Port Adelaide premiership captain and an ex-Aussie netball star – and now, she’s officially announced herself on the world stage.

Already one of the brightest young basketball prospects in Australia, Adelaide prodigy Izzy Borlase officially announced herself on the world stage in an Opals debut to savour.

The daughter of SA sports royalty this month seized her chance alongside the likes of basketball legend Lauren Jackson, helping the Opals book their ticket to Paris across three Olympic qualifiers in Brazil.

The triumphant trip was yet another grand achievement in a whirlwind year that has put the Lightning teen on WNBA draft radars.

Isobel Borlase is one of Australian basketball's biggest and brightest stars and made her Opals debut in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament. Picture: Kelly Barnes

“I feel like a lot’s happened in the past few months,” an understated Borlase told The Advertiser.

“Once the qualifying squad was announced, it was a goal for me to make the final team for Brazil so I was really proud and grateful for the opportunity to experience that.”

The 19-year-old — who wasn’t even born when 42-year-old Jackson made her Olympic debut in Sydney — stayed ready after she wasn’t called on by coach Sandy Brondello in the tournament opener against the host nation, breaking out with double-digit scoring efforts in clashes with Germany and Serbia.

“Coming into the group, I was the youngest one on the team so I felt I knew my position, I knew I was going to have to earn my minutes because the core group had been together for so long,” Borlase said.

“Sandy just told me to keep being aggressive and, when the opportunity arrives, just go and take it.”

The Borlase honour role is already impressive: she’s the reigning WNBL Sixth Woman of the Year and Breakout Player of the Year and she’s won U19 World Cup silver alongside fellow young Opal Jade Melbourne, 21.

That pair represents the face of Australian basketball’s future, so it’s heartening to hear Borlase speak glowingly about her talented roomie.

“Jade and I were roommates in Brazil, which was really cool because we were roommates when we won silver at the U19 World Cup (Hungary, 2021), so it’s come full circle,” Borlase said.

“Now we’re playing together for one of our first Opals experiences so it was really great to do that with her.

“Hopefully we’ll be able to do this together for the next 10 or so years.”

Borlase admits the young guns were just a little starstruck by the opportunity to rub shoulders with the sport’s GOAT, eager to soak up the lessons borne out of Jackson’s remarkable 27-year career.

“When we were coming back from Brazil, Jade and I were like ‘OMG, we’re literally walking around with the greatest women’s basketball player ever’,” she said.

“It’s amazing to see what Lauren’s been able to keep doing and you just sit and listen to her stories.

“She’s travelled all over the world and seen it all, It was good to be a fly on the wall and hear all the insight about what she’s done, and really what all of the girls have done.”

Izzy is the daughter of Australian Diamonds great Jenny Borlase four-time SANFL premiership player Darryl Borlase. Pictured with family L-R Ella, Jenny, James, Darryl and Isobel. Picture: Supplied

Australian Basketballer Isobel Borlase playing Serbia Picture: Supplied

The Loretto College product has taken a slightly different path to mum Jenny Borlase (nee Kennett) — an Australian Diamonds great who owns three netball World Cup gold medals — and dad Darryl Borlase — a four-time SANFL premiership player and former Port Adelaide captain.

It’s allowed her parents to pass on those elite sporting lessons, without the potential for overanalysis of her performances.

“I’m really lucky to have their experience in the sporting world,” she said.

“I’m actually grateful they didn’t play basketball because they can just come to my games and just watch as fans. I feel like if I was playing netball or footy, mum and dad would probably — not critique — but, you know, they don’t know basketball, so they can just sit and watch and be a normal parent without subconsciously overanalysing every moment.”

Time away from the pressures of the court is important — the Borlases have a family shack down in Middleton she uses as an escape.

Friends who were there before basketball was a thing help keep her grounded and she’s preparing for life after hoops — slowly, given the commitment required to be a pro basketballer.

“I’m studying human movement but it’s very part time,” she laughs.

“I try to do a couple of subjects each semester but, at this rate, it’s probably going to take me 10 years to get my degree, but that’s fine.”

By then, she’ll be 29, in her basketball prime and hopefully with several major medals to savour along with her degree.

Originally published as Hoops and dreams: Izzy Borlase takes her shot