Jan Stirling out as high performance boss at Basketball Australia

Change has come at Basketball Australia, with one of its most influential figures ousted from their role as the sport’s head of high performance.

Legendary Australian basketball figure Jan Stirling has been pushed out of her role as the sport’s head of high performance.

Code Sports has been told the trailblazing 2006 World Championships gold medal-winning Opals coach had wanted to continue in the role.

But it’s understood BA powerbrokers had privately agitated to part ways with the 68-year-old for some time and the move is not a direct response to the Boomers’ disappointing finish at this year’s World Cup.

Jan Stirling is one of the most influential figures in Aussie basketball. Pic Simon Cross

Boomers and Opals national teams director Jason Smith will act in Stirling’s role as BA searches for a replacement.

Stirling, who led the Opals to back-to-back Olympic silver medals in 2004 and 2008, was a driving force in the establishment of the highly successful NBA Global Academy talent pathway.

Across a career spanning more than five decades as player, coach and administrator, few have done more to develop the sport in Australia.

Stirling played 163 WNBL games and represented the Opals at the 1975 FIBA World Championships.

Originally published as Jan Stirling out as high performance boss at Basketball Australia