Rachael Sporn

Rachael Pamela Sporn OAM is an Australian former basketball player and three-time Olympian.

Rachael Sporn

Personal information
Born	Murrayville, Victoria, Australia
Listed height	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Listed weight	175 lb (79 kg)
Career information
WNBA draft	1998: 2nd round, 14th overall pick
Drafted by	Detroit Shock
Playing career	1986–2004
Position	Forward
Career history
1986–1989	West Adelaide Bearcats
1990–1991	North Adelaide Rockets
1992	West Adelaide Bearcats
1993–2004	Adelaide Lightning
1998–1999, 2001	Detroit Shock
Career highlights
5× WNBL champion (1990, 1994–1996, 1998) 2× WNBL Grand Final MVP (1994, 1995) 2× WNBL MVP (1996, 1997) 8× WNBL All-Star Five (1992–1997, 1999, 2002) WNBL Top Shooter Award (1997)
Stats at Basketball Reference
Medals Representing  Australia Olympic Games 2004 Athens National team 2000 Sydney National team 1996 Atlanta National team World Championships 1998 Germany Team Competition

Career

Born in Murrayville, Victoria,^[1] Rachael Pamela Sporn^{[citation needed]} debuted in the Women's National Basketball League (WNBL) in 1986 with the West Adelaide Bearcats. After four seasons with the Bearcats, she joined the North Adelaide Rockets where she won her first WNBL championship in 1990. After two seasons with the Rockets, she returned for a season with the Bearcats in 1992 before joining the Adelaide Lightning in 1993.^[2]

Sporn played 12 seasons for the Adelaide Lightning between 1993 and 2004.^[2] She was twice named WNBL MVP and was an eight-time WNBL All-Star Five honouree. She finished her career as the WNBL's all-time points and rebounding leader.^[3] She also played three seasons for the Detroit Shock of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA).^[3]

Sporn played 304 games for the Australia women's national basketball team, the Opals, earning three Olympic Games medals – two silver medals (2000 and 2004) and a bronze (1996). She also competed at the World Championships in 1990, 1994 and 1998.^[4][1]

Sporn is a member of the Australian Sports Hall of Fame and the Australian Basketball Hall of Fame.^[3][4][5] She was awarded the Australian Sports Medal in 2000 and the Centenary Medal in 2001.^[6][7]

In 2007, Sporn's number 14 jersey was retired by the Adelaide Lightning. In September 2023, Sporn and the Lightning agreed to un-retired her jersey.^[8]

Personal life

Sporn's older brother, Kieran, is a former Australian rules footballer.^[9]

Sporn and her husband, Maurie Ranger, have two children.^[10] As of 2019, they live in Adelaide.^[10]

In 2015, Sporn was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia.^[11]

Career statistics

Legend

GP	Games played	GS	Games started	MPG	Minutes per game	RPG	Rebounds per game
APG	Assists per game	SPG	Steals per game	BPG	Blocks per game	PPG	Points per game
TO	Turnovers per game	FG%	Field-goal percentage	3P%	3-point field-goal percentage	FT%	Free-throw percentage
Bold	Career best	°	League leader

WNBA

Source^[12]

Regular season

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	TO	PPG
1998	Detroit	30°	1	17.8	.408	–	.500	3.6	1.3	.3	.4	1.1	4.5
1999	Detroit	18	10	18.9	.468	.000	.643	3.3	1.5	.8	.2	.9	5.9
2001	Detroit	23	1	11.5	.404	–	.333	2.3	.5	.3	.2	.6	1.8
Career	3 years, 1 team	71	12	16.1	.427	.000	.536	3.1	1.1	.4	.3	.9	4.0