# Isobel Borlase

Isobel Borlase (born 12 September 2004) is an Australian professional basketball player for the Melbourne Tigers of the NBL1 South. She debuted for the Adelaide Lightning of the Women's National Basketball League (WNBL) in 2022, and in 2023 won the WNBL Sixth Woman of the Year and WNBL Breakout Player of the Year. In 2024, she was named to the All-WNBL First Team and was drafted 20th overall by the Atlanta Dream in the WNBA draft.
Borlase helped the Australian Gems win silver at the 2021 FIBA Under-19 World Cup and gold at the 2022 FIBA Under-18 Asian Championship.

## Early life and career

Borlase was born in Melbourne, Victoria, in the suburb of Sandringham. She grew up in Adelaide, South Australia, where she attended Loreto College and Mercedes College. She played junior basketball for the Forestville Eagles and led South Australia Metro to victory at the 2021 Australian Under-18 Championships. She also played netball and did surf lifesaving.
Borlase joined the Basketball Australia Centre of Excellence in 2021, where she played in four games in the Waratah League. While in Canberra, she attended Lake Ginninderra College.

## Professional career

In January 2022, Borlase joined the Adelaide Lightning of the Women's National Basketball League (WNBL) for the rest of the 2021–22 season. She appeared in one game.
With the Centre of Excellence in 2022 in the NBL1, Borlase averaged 13.57 points, 5.29 rebounds, 2.64 assists and 2.0 steals in 14 games.
In September 2022, Borlase re-signed the Adelaide Lightning for the 2022–23 WNBL season. In the season opener, she had 25 points and nine rebounds in a loss to the Southside Flyers. She finished the season averaging 13.5 points per game. She was subsequently named WNBL Sixth Woman of the Year and WNBL Breakout Player of the Year.
Borlase joined the Forestville Eagles of the NBL1 Central for the 2023 season, but appeared in only two games. A back injury limited her during the 2023 off-season.
In May 2023, Borlase re-signed the Adelaide Lightning for the 2023–24 WNBL season. She entered WNBA draft pick discussions in her second full season, and with team captain Stephanie Talbot sidelined, she began shouldering more responsibility. On 7 January 2024, she scored a career-high 31 points in an 84–68 loss to the Perth Lynx. She was named to the All-WNBL First Team after averaging 15.6 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game.
On 15 April 2024, Borlase was selected by the Atlanta Dream with the 20th overall pick in the 2024 WNBA draft. Choosing to remain in Adelaide for another 12 months, Borlase joined the Forestville Eagles for the 2024 NBL1 Central season. In six games for the Eagles, she averaged 15.33 points, 5.33 rebounds, 3.17 assists and 2.33 steals per game.
Borlase returned to the Adelaide Lightning for the 2024–25 WNBL season. She averaged 14.6 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game.
She is set to join the Melbourne Tigers of the NBL1 South for the 2025 season.

## National team career

Borlase debuted for Australia at the 2021 FIBA Under-19 World Cup in Hungary with the Gems. She helped the Gems win the silver medal.
In 2022, Borlase helped the Gems win the gold medal at the FIBA Under-18 Asian Championship in India. She was named to the All-Star Five after averaging 14.4 points, 7.6 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 2.8 steals per game.
Borlase played for the Gems at the 2023 FIBA Under-19 World Cup in Spain.
In July 2024, Borlase was named in the Australian Opals' final squad for the Paris Olympics.

## Personal life

Borlase is the daughter of Darryl Borlase and Jenny Borlase. Her father played Australian rules football for the Port Adelaide Football Club while her mother played for the Australian netball team. Her older sister, Ella, has represented Australia in surfboat rowing while her older brother, James, is also a footballer who made his AFL debut in 2023 with the Adelaide Crows.