Tahlia Tupaea

Tahlia Tupaea (born 1 June 1997) is an Australian-New Zealand professional basketball player.

Tahlia Tupaea

No. 4 – Canberra Capitals
Position	Guard
League	WNBL
Personal information
Born	(1997-06-01) 1 June 1997 (age 28) Penrith, New South Wales, Australia
Nationality	Australian / New Zealand
Listed height	174 cm (5 ft 9 in)
Career information
WNBA draft	2017: 3rd round, 36th overall pick
Drafted by	Minnesota Lynx
Playing career	2012–present
Career history
2012–2020	Sydney Uni Flames
2013; 2015	Penrith Panthers
2016	BA Centre of Excellence
2017–2018	Sydney Uni Sparks
2019	USC Rip City
2020–2022	Canberra Capitals
2021	Bankstown Bruins
2022–present	Northern Kāhu
2023-present	Penrith Panthers
2023–present	Canberra Capitals
Career highlights
WNBL champion (2017) TBA champion (2023) TBA MVP (2022) TBA All-Star Five (2022) Waratah League MVP (2021) Waratah League All-Star Five (2021)
Stats at Basketball Reference
Medals Representing  Australia Basketball FIBA U19 World Championship 2013 Lithuania Team 2015 Russia Team FIBA Oceania Junior Championships 2013 Melbourne U17 Team 2014 Suva U19 Team

Professional career

WNBL

Tupaea became the second youngest debutant in WNBL history in October 2012 at age 15 and 133 days.^[1] She played eight seasons for the Sydney Uni Flames between 2012 and 2020.^[2]

Tupaea played for the Canberra Capitals during the 2020 WNBL hub season in Queensland and then re-joined the team for the 2021–22 WNBL season.^[3] After sitting out the 2022–23 WNBL season,^[4][5] Tupaea is set to re-join the Capitals for the 2023–24 WNBL season.^[6]

WNBA

In April 2017, Tupaea was drafted by the Minnesota Lynx with the 36th and final pick of the 2017 WNBA draft.^[7]

Australian State Leagues and New Zealand

In 2013 and 2015, Tupaea played in the Waratah League for the Penrith Panthers. In 2016, she played for the BA Centre of Excellence in the SEABL. She continued in the SEABL in 2017 and 2018 with the Sydney Uni Sparks before joining the USC Rip City in the QBL in 2019.^[8] In 2021, she returned to the Waratah League to play for the Bankstown Bruins, winning league MVP.^[9][10]

In 2022, Tupaea joined the Northern Kāhu for the inaugural season of New Zealand's Tauihi Basketball Aotearoa (TBA), where she won league MVP.^[11][12]

Tupaea started the 2023 NBL1 East season with the Penrith Panthers^[8] before re-joining the Northern Kāhu for the 2023 TBA season.^[13] She sustained a shoulder injury early in the season,^[14] as the Kāhu went on to win the 2023 TBA championship.^[15]

National team career

Tupaea represented Australia at the 2013 FIBA Oceania U16 Championship, 2013 FIBA U19 World Championship, 2014 FIBA Oceania U18 Championship, 2014 FIBA U17 World Championship, and 2015 FIBA U19 World Championship.^[16]

Personal life

Tupaea is a dual citizen of Australia and New Zealand.^[11]