Country’s finest: We look at the top 20 men’s and women’s basketballers since the year 2000

We’ve looked at the best men and women basketball players from the country since 2000, and now it’s time to look at the best. Check out who made our list of the top 20 Australians this century.

Last week we revealed 48 of the best men’s and 26 of the best women’s basketballers to come out of regional Australia since the year 2000.

Now it’s time to look at the best of the best!

Check out who made our top 20 list of basketballers this century.

20. Cayla George - Mount Barker

From humble beginnings in Mount Barker, South Australia, George has gone on to win four WNBL championships with two different teams (Townsville Fire and Melbourne Boomers).

She has represented Australia with the Opals on multiple occasions, including the medal-winning campaigns at the FIBA World Cup (2018, 2014, 2022) and was part of the gold medal winning team at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

Cayla George of the Boomers handles the ball during the round 13 WNBL match between Melbourne Boomers and Bendigo Spirit at Melbourne Sports Stadium. (Photo by Kelly Defina/Getty Images)

19. Adam Gibson - Launceston

Gibson had a 17-year long career in basketball before he decided to retire in May 2022.

He has won two NBL championships, first in 2008 with the Brisbane Bullets and then with South Dragons in 2009.

He was voted NBL Best Defensive Player for his stint with the Dragons in 2009, and us a three-time All-NBL Second Team player and two-time All-NBL Third Team player.

Gibson represented Australia with the Boomers between 2009-2015, including at the 2012 London Olympics.

PHOENIX, AZ - OCTOBER 13: Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Suns drives the ball past Adam Gibson #1 of the Brisbane Bullets during the second half of the NBA pre-season game at Talking Stick Resort Arena on October 13, 2017 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

18. Tully Bevilaqua - Merredin

Despite her short stature for basketball at 5ft 7in, Bevilaqua’s extensive career has included a WNBA championship and Olympic, Commonwealth Games and World Championship gold.

After going undrafted in 1998, Bevilaqua went on to represent multiple WNBA teams including Cleveland Rockers, Portland Fire and Seattle Storm, winning a championship with the Storm in 2004.

She is one of only four players to record at least 800 assists and 500 steals in their WNBA career.

Bevilaqua represented Australia at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing where she won a silver medal, and won gold at the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games.

Main season WNBL fixture between West Coast Waves (WA team) and Sydney Uni Flames at Alice Springs Basketball stadium. Tully Bevilaqua heads for the hoop as she by passes Uni Flames Katie Ebzery

17. Tess Madgen - Barossa Valley

Madgen’s career in professional basketball has spanned over a decade, and it’s still going strong.

She has represented Australia at two FIBA World Cup’s, winning bronze in 2022 and silver in Spain in 2018.

Madgen currently plays in the WNBL for the Melbourne Boomers, who she had previously played for from 2012-2016.

She was voted into the WNBL First Team in 2015, and the All-WNBL Second Team in 2020.

Tess Madgen (C) of Australia shoots during the 2022 FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup Group B match between Australia and Canada at Sydney Superdome. (Photo by Kelly Defina/Getty Images)

16. Xavier Cooks - Wollongong

At only 27, Xavier Cooks’ best years are well ahead of him.

In the past year, he’s won an NBL championship with the Sydney Kings where he was also named the Grand Final MVP, voted the 2023 NBL MVP, made the All-NBL First team this year and the Second Team in 2022.

He currently plays for the Sydney Kings, who are looking for back-to-back championships this year after progressing to another grand final.

Cooks was selected for the Boomers squad for the 2019 FIBA World Cup, but was forced to withdraw due to a knee injury.

Xavier Cooks of the Kings shoots during game three of the NBL Semi Final series between Sydney Kings and Cairns Taipans at Qudos Bank Arena. (Photo by Jason McCawley/Getty Images)

15. Liz Cambage - Eden

A controversial basketball figure, Cambage is still regarded as a dominant player on the court.

She moved to Eden, New South Wales from the United Kingdom when she was just three months old, and started her basketball career at age 10 as a way to make friends.

Cambage won the WNBL Championship in 2011 with the Bulleen Boomers, in the same year she was named the WNBL MVP, and won a second championship in 2020 with the Southside Flyers.

She is yet to win a WNBA championship through her multiple stint in the US, but has been named a WNBA All—Star on four occasions (2011, 2018, 2019, 2021) and currently plays for the Los Angeles Sparks.

Liz Cambage #1 of the Los Angeles Sparks gestures during the second half against the Washington Mystics at Crypto.com Arena on July 12, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. Katharine Lotze/Getty Images/AFP

14. Mitch Norton - Townsville

Arguably one of the greatest NBL players to come out of Queensland, Norton started his league career in 2011 with the Townsville Crocodiles before moving to Illawarra Hawks in 2016.

Norton won two consecutive NBL Championships with the Perth Wildcats in 2019 and 2020 after joining the team in 2018, and continues to this day.

He won gold at the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games with the Boomers, and at the 2017 FIBA Asia Cup in Lebanon.

Mitch Norton of the Wildcats drives up court during the NBL Final Play In match between Cairns Taipans and Perth Wildcats at Cairns Convention Centre. (Photo by Emily Barker/Getty Images)

13. Mitch Creek - Horsham

Since debuting in the NBL in 2010, Creek has made his name as one of the best players in the league.

His time with the Adelaide 36ers at the beginning of his career led to NBA opportunities with Brooklyn and Minnesota.

He currently plays for the South East Melbourne Phoenix, and was named in the 2023 All-NBL First Team.

Creek also represented Australia on multiple occasions, winning gold at the 2017 FIBA Asia Cup in Lebanon and being named in the most recent Boomers Olympic squad for the Tokyo games.

Mitch Creek of the Phoenix in action during the round 12 NBL match between Brisbane Bullets and South East Melbourne Phoenix at Nissan Arena. (Photo by Russell Freeman/Getty Images)

12. Jenny Whittle - Gold Coast

Whittle first made the Australian national team at just 20-years-old, following her success at the 1993 World Championships as a junior.

From there she represented Australia at the Commonwealth Games (2006), three World Cups (1998, 2002, 2006) and two Olympic Games (1996, 2000).

Whittle has won two WNBL championships in 2006 and 2008, and was named in the WNBL All-Star Five on four occasions.

After retiring from international competition in 2006, and was inducted into the Australian Basketball Hall of Fame in 2016.

Basketballer Jenny Whittle (r) with Janeth Arcain. Womens basketball - Australia vs Brazil match at Sydney Olympic Games 29 Sep 2000. a/ct

11. Chris Goulding - Launceston

Since joining the NBL in 2006 as a development player for the Brisbane Bullets, Goulding has gone on to claim three NBL championships and is still regarded as one of the league’s greatest shooters in recent history.

Goulding was named the Grand Final MVP in 2018 after winning the championship with Melbourne United, who he has played for since 2015.

He has represented Australia since he was in under-18s, and was promoted to the Boomers squad for the 2018 FIBA World Cup in Spain.

Goulding won gold with the national team at the 2015 FIBA Oceania Championship and 2018 Commonwealth Games, and was also part of the historic bronze medal-winning team at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Chris Goulding of United drives to the basket under pressure from Antonius Cleveland of the 36ers and Hyrum Harris of the 36ers. (Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)

10. Nathan Jawai - Bamaga

Jawai comes from a sporting family, with his cousins including NBA star Patty Mills, NRL players Edrick and Brenko Lee, his uncle is former Olympian basketballer Danny Morseu and his great uncle is indigenous land rights activist Eddie Mabo.

Jawai was selected 41st overall in the 2008 NBA Draft by Indiana, however was traded to Toronto Raptors where he debuted in 2009, becoming the first Indigenous Australian to play in the NBA.

After a stint in Europe, Jawai headed back to Australia in 2015 to play for the Perth Wildcats where he won the championship the following year.

Nathan Jawai of the Taipans wins the ball against Makur Maker of the Kings. (Photo by Albert Perez/Getty Images)

9. Stephanie Talbot - Katherine

Talbot made her WNBL debut when she was just 17-years-old for the Adelaide Lightning, and was crowned rookie of the year the following year.

Despite being drafted in the 2014 WNBA draft by Mercury Phoenix, Talbot opted to stay in Canberra to play for the Capitals.

She represented multiple WNBA and WNBL teams, being named WNBL rookie of the year in 2013 and MVP in 2020.

Talbot represented Australia at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, winning gold, and at the 2018 and 2022 FIBA World Cup where she won silver and bronze respectively.

Stephanie Talbot #6 of the Australia Women's National Team handles the ball during the game against the USA Basketball Womens National Team. (Photo by Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images)

8. Brad Newley - Barossa Valley

Newley’s career has taken him across the country and across the world and is still going strong.

After his initial stint in the NBL from 2004-2007, Newley headed overseas and played in various European leagues in countries including Greece, Spain and Turkey.

Coming back to the Australian league in 2016, Newley has played for the Sydney Kings and currently for Melbourne United, but is still to claim a championship.

Newley has been a regular feature in the Australian national team, securing two Commonwealth Games gold medals in 2006 and 2018, along with four FIBA Oceania Championships.

Despite recently celebrating his 38th birthday, Newley is still playing in the NBL for United and in NBL1 for Frankston Blues.

Brad Newley flies for the basket during a Melbourne United pre-season match. Picture: Melbourne United.

7. Suzy Batkovic - Newcastle

Batkovic has had huge success both at home and abroad after starting her basketball career for Port Hunter Basketball Club.

She is a five-time WNBL champion, winning titles with the Sydney Uni Flames in 1999 and 2001, and with the Townsville Fire in 2015, 2016 and 2018.

Batkovic was integral for the Australian Opals in their silver medal runs at the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games, and won bronze in London 2012.

After her retirement from professional basketball in 2019, Batkovic went into politics and was elected as a Townsville City Councillor in 2020.

WNBL final round game between the Townsville Fire v Sydney Flames from Townsville Stadium. Fire's Suzy Batkovic walks through a guard of honour after her last WNBL game. Picture: Zak Simmonds

6. Matthew Dellavedova - Maryborough

Dellavedova’s junior basketball career started with the Maryborough Blazers and Bendigo Braves, while he was also juggling tennis, soccer and AFL.

Despite going undrafted for the NBA in 2013 after college, Dellavedova went on to sign with the Cleveland Cavaliers for that years’ summer league before winning the NBA championship in 2016.

He moved Milwaukee in 2016, before heading back to Cleveland from 2018 to 2021.

In 2021 he signed a three-year deal with Melbourne United in the NBL, but was offered another chance in the NBA with the Sacramento Kings for the remainder of the 2022-23 season.

Dellavedova has been a regular in the Australian Boomers, winning multiple FIBA Oceania Championships and a bronze medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Matthew Dellavedova (c) of Australia dribbles the ball against Jie Xu of China during the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifier match between the Australia Boomers and China at John Cain Arena. (Photo by Kelly Defina/Getty Images)

5. Belinda Snell - Mirboo North

Basketball veteran Belinda Snell made her start in Knox, Victoria, having to travel into Melbourne every week to play.

Snell won both a WNBA and WNBL championship since her professional debut in 1998, claiming two WNBL titles with AIS (1999) and Sydney Panthers (2001) before heading over to the US, where she went all the way with the Phoenix Mercury in 2007.

She was a mainstay in the Australian national team since 2004, winning multiple Olympic medals, Commonwealth Games gold and FIBA World Cup titles.

WNBL final round game between the Townsville Fire v Sydney Flames from Townsville Stadium. Fire's Suzy Batkovic and Flames Belinda Snell. Picture: Zak Simmonds

4. Sandy Brondello - Mackay

Brondello is undoubtedly one of Australia’s best basketball exports, both for her on-court career and her coaching success.

She represented Australia at three Olympic, winning two silver medals (2000, 2004) and a bronze (1996) while also playing overseas in the WNBA.

Brondello was named a WNBA All-Star in 1999, and a WNBL All-Star twice in 1994 and 1995.

After retiring as a player after the 2004 Olympics, Brondello shifted her focus solely to her coaching career.

In 2014, she led the Phoenix Mercury to the WNBA championship, while also claiming the league’s highest season win total in the league’s history with 29 wins and 5 losses, resulting in Brondello being awarded Coach of the Year.

She was inducted into the Australian Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010, and currently coaches the New York Liberty in the WNBA.

Coach Sandy Brondello in action during the Women's Basketball Quarterfinal between Australia and the USA at Saitama Super Arena during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Pics Adam Head

3. Aron Baynes - Mareeba

After moving to Mareeba, Queensland from New Zealand when he was 3-years-old, Baynes was only introduced to basketball in his teens.

He earned a college scholarship to Washington State in 2006, before heading off to Europe to play in Lithuania, Germany, Greece and Slovenia.

Baynes signed for the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA in 2013, where he featured in the side’s NBA Championship season in 2014.

He moved to the Boston Celtics from 2017-2019, before being traded to the Phoenix Suns for a year and subsequently moving to the Toronto Raptors.

Baynes has represented Australia at the Olympics twice, in 2012 and 2016, but a devastating spinal cord injury ruled him out of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics halfway through the tournament.

His passion for basketball, his teammates and his country is evident even from the sidelines, where he is one of the loudest supporters.

Baynes signed a two-year deal back home with the Brisbane Bullets in 2022, but still hopes to return to the NBA.

Aron Baynes of the Bullets in action during the round 12 NBL match between Brisbane Bullets and South East Melbourne Phoenix at Nissan Arena. (Photo by Russell Freeman/Getty Images)

2. Patty Mills - Canberra

The top two on this list were extremely hard to split.

Patty Mills has done so much for both basketball and for Indigenous activism, and his career almost speaks for itself.

Mills only played two years in College before declaring for the 2009 NBA draft, where he joined the Portland Trail Blazers.

His most impressive stint in the league was with the San Antonio Spurs, where he played for just under a decade and won the 2014 NBA Championship.

He currently plays for the Brooklyn Nets alongside countryman Ben Simmons.

Mills was also part of the Boomers 2020 bronze-medal Olympic squad, and had previously represented Australia at the FIBA Oceania Championship, winning gold in 2007, 2011, 2013 and 2015.

Alongside his impressive playing career, Mills has also used his platform to protest against racism and police brutality in Australia, and was subsequently named the 2022 ACT Representative for Australian of the Year.

Patty Mills #8 of the Brooklyn Nets celebrates after hitting a three pointer during the second half against the Washington Wizards. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)

1. Lauren Jackson - Albury

Despite all the accolades of our number 2 Patty Mills, Lauren Jackson takes out the top spot due to her lengthy career, which has picked up again after she came out of retirement in 2022.

Jackson has been recognised as one of the world’s best basketball players since she was 21, and is widely regarded as the best Australian female players to ever grace the court.

In her 20+ year career, Jackson has claimed five WNBL titles with AIS (1999) and Canberra Capitols (2002, 2003, 2006, 2010), along with four league MVP awards.

She won two WNBA championships with Seattle Storm (2004, 2010), three league MVP awards as well as various other honours.

Her number 15 jersey was subsequently retired by the Seattle Storm.

Lauren Jackson of Australia with Marianna Tolo of Australia before the 2022 FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup Test Event match. (Photo by Mark Evans/Getty Images)

Jackson has represented Australia at four Olympic Games, and was the flag-bearer for the nation at the 2012 games in London.

After announcing her retirement in 2016, Jackson was inducted into the Australian Basketball Hall 0f Fame in 2019.

She made a miraculous comeback to the national team for the 2022 FIBA Women’s World Cup, where she helped the team claim bronze.

At 41-years-old, Jackson still plays professionally in the WNBL for the Southside Flyers.

Originally published as Country’s finest: We look at the top 20 men’s and women’s basketballers since the year 2000