# 2017–18 WNBL season

The 2017–18 WNBL season was the 38th season of the competition since its establishment in 1981. The regular season began on 5 October 2017, with the Melbourne Boomers visiting the Dandenong Rangers. The Sydney Uni Flames were the defending champions but were defeated in the semi-finals by Townsville. The Townsville Fire took home their third WNBL championship after defeating Melbourne, 2–0.
This season sees the return to television, with Fox Sports broadcasting the WNBL for the first time since 2015. Spalding once again provided equipment including the official game ball, whilst iAthletic took over supplying team apparel.

## Standings

| # | WNBL Championship ladder | WNBL Championship ladder | WNBL Championship ladder | WNBL Championship ladder | WNBL Championship ladder |
| # | Team | W | L | PCT | GP |
| 1 | Perth Lynx | 15 | 6 | 71.4 | 21 |
| 2 | Sydney Uni Flames | 14 | 7 | 66.6 | 21 |
| 3 | Townsville Fire | 14 | 7 | 66.6 | 21 |
| 4 | Melbourne Boomers | 12 | 9 | 57.1 | 21 |
| 5 | Adelaide Lightning | 11 | 10 | 52.3 | 21 |
| 6 | Canberra Capitals | 7 | 14 | 33.3 | 21 |
| 7 | Dandenong Rangers | 7 | 14 | 33.3 | 21 |
| 8 | Bendigo Spirit | 4 | 17 | 19.1 | 21 |

## Finals

| Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Grand Final | Grand Final | Grand Final |
| 1 | Perth Lynx | 0 | | | |
| 4 | Melbourne Boomers | 2 | | | |
| 4 | Melbourne Boomers | 2 | 4 | Melbourne Boomers | 1 |
| | | | 3 | Townsville Fire | 2 |
| 3 | Townsville Fire | 2 | 3 | Townsville Fire | 2 |
| 2 | Sydney Uni Flames | 0 | | | |

## Statistics
### Individual statistic leaders

| Category | Player | Statistic |
| Points per game | Liz Cambage (MEL) | 23.7 PPG |
| Rebounds per game | Liz Cambage (MEL) | 10.4 RPG |
| Assists per game | Natalie Hurst (CAN) | 6.7 APG |
| Steals per game | Sami Whitcomb (PER) | 2.5 SPG |
| Blocks per game | Jennifer Hamson (SYD) | 2.6 BPG |

### Individual game highs

| Category | Player | Statistic |
| Points | Liz Cambage (MEL) | 44 |
| Rebounds | Liz Cambage (MEL) | 23 |
| Assists | Natalie Hurst (CAN) | 14 |
| Steals | Natalie Novosel (ADL) | 8 |
| Blocks | Jennifer Hamson (SYD) | 7 |

## Awards
### Player of the Week

| Round # | Player |
| Round 1 | Cayla George (TSV) |
| Round 2 | Abby Bishop (ADL) |
| Round 3 | Liz Cambage (MEL) |
| Round 4 | Suzy Batkovic (TSV) |
| Round 5 | Liz Cambage (MEL) (2) |
| Round 6 | Liz Cambage (MEL) (3) |
| Round 7 | Courtney Williams (PER) |
| Round 8 | Belinda Snell (SYD) |
| Round 9 | Liz Cambage (MEL) (4) |
| Round 10 | Sami Whitcomb (PER) |
| Round 11 | Courtney Williams (PER) (2) |
| Round 12 | Asia Taylor (SYD) |
| Round 13 | Jennifer Hamson (SYD) |

### Team of the Week

| Round # | Team | Team | Team | Team | Team |
| Round 1 | Natalie Hurst (CAN) | Belinda Snell (SYD) | Natalie Novosel (ADL) | Jordan Hooper (CAN) | Cayla George (TSV) |
| Round 2 | Nicole Seekamp (ADL) | Nadeen Payne (BEN) | Abby Bishop (ADL) | Suzy Batkovic (TSV) | Liz Cambage (MEL) |
| Round 3 | Katie-Rae Ebzery (SYD) | Colleen Planeta (ADL) | Sara Blicavs (DAN) | Carley Mijović (DAN) | Liz Cambage (MEL) (2) |
| Round 4 | Natalie Novosel (ADL) (2) | Sami Whitcomb (PER) | Asia Taylor (SYD) | Abby Bishop (ADL) (2) | Suzy Batkovic (TSV) (2) |
| Round 5 | Rachel Banham (BEN) | Alice Kunek (PER) | Asia Taylor (SYD) (2) | Jennifer Hamson (SYD) | Liz Cambage (MEL) (3) |
| Round 6 | Courtney Williams (PER) | Katie-Rae Ebzery (SYD) (2) | Jenna O'Hea (MEL) | Kayla Pedersen (DAN) | Liz Cambage (MEL) (4) |
| Round 7 | Courtney Williams (PER) (2) | Tessa Lavey (DAN) | Micaela Cocks (TSV) | Asia Taylor (SYD) (3) | Suzy Batkovic (TSV) (3) |
| Round 8 | Courtney Williams (PER) (3) | Sami Whitcomb (PER) (2) | Belinda Snell (SYD) (2) | Asia Taylor (SYD) (4) | Betnijah Laney (BEN) |
| Round 9 | Courtney Williams (PER) (4) | Sami Whitcomb (PER) (3) | Carley Mijović (DAN) (2) | Suzy Batkovic (TSV) (4) | Liz Cambage (MEL) (5) |
| Round 10 | Courtney Williams (PER) (5) | Sami Whitcomb (PER) (4) | Belinda Snell (SYD) (3) | Suzy Batkovic (TSV) (5) | Liz Cambage (MEL) (6) |
| Round 11 | Courtney Williams (PER) (6) | Sami Whitcomb (PER) (5) | Jennifer Hamson (SYD) (2) | Suzy Batkovic (TSV) (6) | Liz Cambage (MEL) (7) |
| Round 12 | Courtney Williams (PER) (7) | Katie-Rae Ebzery (SYD) (3) | Asia Taylor (SYD) (5) | Abby Bishop (ADL) (3) | Darcee Garbin (TSV) |
| Round 13 | Nicole Seekamp (ADL) (2) | Brittany Smart (MEL) | Asia Taylor (SYD) (6) | Jordan Hooper (CAN) (2) | Jennifer Hamson (SYD) (3) |

### Postseason Awards

| Award | Winner | Position | Team |
| Most Valuable Player | Suzy Batkovic | Center | Townsville Fire |
| Grand Final MVP | Suzy Batkovic | Center | Townsville Fire |
| Rookie of the Year | Eziyoda Magbegor | Forward | Canberra Capitals |
| Defensive Player of the Year | Kayla Pedersen | Forward | Dandenong Rangers |
| Top Shooter Award | Liz Cambage | Center | Melbourne Boomers |
| Coach of the Year | Andy Stewart | Coach | Perth Lynx |
| All-Star Five | Courtney Williams | Guard | Perth Lynx |
| All-Star Five | Sami Whitcomb | Guard | Perth Lynx |
| All-Star Five | Asia Taylor | Forward | Sydney Uni Flames |
| All-Star Five | Suzy Batkovic | Center | Townsville Fire |
| All-Star Five | Liz Cambage | Center | Melbourne Boomers |

## Team captains and coaches

| Team | Captain | Coach |
| Adelaide Lightning | Abby Bishop | Chris Lucas |
| Bendigo Spirit | Kelsey Griffin | Simon Pritchard |
| Canberra Capitals | Natalie Hurst | Paul Goriss |
| Dandenong Rangers | Stephanie Blicavs | Larissa Anderson |
| Melbourne Boomers | Jenna O'Hea | Guy Molloy |
| Perth Lynx | Antonia Farnworth / Sami Whitcomb (co) | Andy Stewart |
| Sydney Uni Flames | Belinda Snell | Cheryl Chambers |
| Townsville Fire | Suzy Batkovic | Claudia Brassard |