2021–22 WNBL season

The 2021–22 WNBL season was the 42nd season of the competition since its establishment in 1981.^[1] The Southside Flyers were the defending champions, however they failed to qualify for finals.^[2] The Melbourne Boomers won their second championship, defeating Perth in the Grand Final series, 2–1.^[3]

2021–22 WNBL season
League	Women's National Basketball League
Sport	Basketball
Duration	2 December 2021 – 9 April 2022
Number of teams	8
TV partner(s)	ABC Fox Sports Kayo
Regular season
Top seed	Melbourne Boomers
Season MVP	Anneli Maley (BEN)
Top scorer	Anneli Maley (BEN)
Finals
Champions	Melbourne Boomers
Runners-up	Perth Lynx
Finals MVP	Lindsay Allen (MEL)

After the 2020 season was condensed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was confirmed in July 2021 that the upcoming season is set to be closer to the traditional season fixture played over several months across the summer.^[4] In October 2021, a new broadcast deal was signed with the ABC, Fox Sports and Kayo,^[5] with an 84-game season fixture announced shortly after.^[6]

Spalding will again provide equipment including the official game ball, alongside iAthletic supplying team apparel for the fifth consecutive season.

Player movement

Main article: List of 2021–22 WNBL season transactions

Standings

#	WNBL Championship ladder
	Team	W	L	PCT	GP
1	Melbourne Boomers	12	5	70.5	17
2	Perth Lynx	11	5	68.7	16
3	Canberra Capitals	11	6	64.7	17
4	Adelaide Lightning	10	7	58.8	17
5	Bendigo Spirit	7	9	43.7	16
6	Townsville Fire	7	10	41.1	17
7	Southside Flyers	5	12	29.4	17
8	Sydney Uni Flames	4	13	23.5	17

Finals

Main article: 2022 WNBL Finals

	Semi Finals					Grand Final
	1	Melbourne Boomers	2
	4	Adelaide Lightning	0
						1	Melbourne Boomers	2
						2	Perth Lynx	1
	3	Canberra Capitals	0
	2	Perth Lynx	1

Statistics

Individual statistic leaders

Category	Player	Statistic
Points per game	Anneli Maley (BEN)	19.8 PPG
Rebounds per game	Anneli Maley (BEN)	15.7 RPG
Assists per game	Stephanie Talbot (ADL)	6.4 APG
Steals per game	Kalani Purcell (SYD)	2.8 SPG
Blocks per game	Ezi Magbegor (MEL)	1.6 BPG

Individual game highs

Category	Player	Statistic
Points	Anneli Maley (BEN)	38
Rebounds	Anneli Maley (BEN)	24
Assists	Stephanie Talbot (ADL)	12
Steals	Kalani Purcell (SYD)	7
Blocks	Abby Bishop (STH) Ezi Magbegor (MEL)	4

Awards

Player of the Week

Round #	Player	Ref.
Round 1	Brittney Sykes (CBR)	[7]
Round 2	Lauren Nicholson (TSV)	[8]
Round 3	Ezi Magbegor (MEL)	[9]
Round 4	Anneli Maley (BEN)	[10]
Round 5	Alanna Smith (ADL)	[11]
Round 6
Round 7	Marina Mabrey (PER)	[12]
Round 8	Lauren Nicholson (TSV) (2)	[13]
Round 9	Mikaela Ruef (CBR)	[14]
Round 10	Anneli Maley (BEN) (2)	[15]
Round 11	Alanna Smith (ADL) (2)	[16]
Round 12	Anneli Maley (BEN) (3)	[17]
Round 13	Keely Froling (SYD)	[18]
Round 14	Jackie Young (PER)	[19]
Round 15	Cayla George (MEL)	[20]

Postseason Awards

Award	Winner	Position	Team
Most Valuable Player	Anneli Maley	Forward	Bendigo Spirit[21]
Grand Final MVP	Lindsay Allen	Guard	Melbourne Boomers[3]
Defensive Player of the Year	Brittney Sykes	Guard	Canberra Capitals[22]
Sixth Woman of the Year	Kristy Wallace	Guard	Southside Flyers[23]
Youth Player of the Year	Ezi Magbegor	Forward	Melbourne Boomers[24]
Coach of the Year	Ryan Petrik	Coach	Perth Lynx[25]
Leading Scorer Award	Anneli Maley	Forward	Bendigo Spirit[26]
Leading Rebounder Award	Anneli Maley	Forward	Bendigo Spirit
Golden Hands Award	Brittney Sykes	Guard	Canberra Capitals
All-WNBL First Team	Jackie Young	Guard	Perth Lynx[27]
	Brittney Sykes	Guard	Canberra Capitals
	Stephanie Talbot	Guard	Adelaide Lightning
	Anneli Maley	Forward	Bendigo Spirit
	Ezi Magbegor	Forward/Center	Melbourne Boomers
All-WNBL Second Team	Lindsay Allen	Guard	Melbourne Boomers
	Marina Mabrey	Guard	Perth Lynx
	Kelsey Griffin	Forward	Canberra Capitals
	Alanna Smith	Forward	Adelaide Lightning
	Cayla George	Forward/Center	Melbourne Boomers

Team captains and coaches

Main article: List of 2021–22 WNBL team rosters

Team	Captain	Coach
Adelaide Lightning	Stephanie Talbot	Chris Lucas
Bendigo Spirit[28]	Madeleine Garrick / Tessa Lavey (co)	Tracy York
Canberra Capitals	Kelsey Griffin	Paul Goriss
Melbourne Boomers	Cayla George	Guy Molloy
Perth Lynx[29]	Darcee Garbin	Ryan Petrik
Southside Flyers	Jenna O'Hea	Cheryl Chambers
Sydney Uni Flames[30]	Keely Froling / Lauren Mansfield (co)	Shane Heal
Townsville Fire[31]	Mia Murray / Lauren Nicholson (co)	Shannon Seebohm