Australian women's basketball has long been a goldmine for the WNBA; since the league’s inception in 1997 no fewer than 26 Australians have played professionally in the United States.

In 2010, Australia is once again well represented. Five Aussies are currently plying their trade on the WNBA hardwood and so far it has been impressive stuff from these stars from down under.

Lauren Jackson, centre, Seattle Storm (age 29)
What can you say? Arguably the world’s greatest female basketballer, Jackson is dominating the WNBA, leading the Storm to a league-best 18-2 record. Jackson recently extended her own WNBA record when she picked up her 19th conference player of the week award (her fifth this season) after nine years in the league. She is second in the league in scoring with 22.1 points per game; sixth in rebounding with an average of 9.4 per game; and second in efficiency at +24.8. Jackson has won two WNBA MVPs (2003, 2007) and one WNBA championship (2004).

Penny Taylor, forward, Phoenix Mercury (age 29)
Australian superstar number two. If there were no Lauren Jackson, Penny Taylor would be Australia’s undoubted queen of the pine. After coming off an ankle injury last season, Taylor has moved back into a starting role this year and has not disappointed. She is having career highs in assists (5.0apg) and steals (1.8spg), and her second best scoring season at 17.7ppg, ranking her sixth in the league. Taylor’s efficiency is an awesome +19.6 which is 10th best in the league. Last year Taylor added a second championship with Phoenix to the one she won in 2007. This season the team has slipped to a disappointing 8-12 record. A case of post championship blues perhaps?

Tully Bevilaqua, guard, Indiana Fever (age 37)
A fan favourite, Tully Bevilaqua is in her 12th season in the WNBA and her Indiana Fever are out to an impressive 13-7 record. The veteran point guard is renowned for her energy and defensive ability. Belilaqua’s 1.7 steals-per-game currently ranks her twelfth in the league and she is fifth on the WNBA all-time steals list with 494. Last year she was named to WNBA-All-Defensive Team for her fifth straight season. Bevilaqua won a championship with Lauren Jackson in 2004 with the Seattle Storm, and has led the Fever to the playoffs in the last five straight seasons.

Alison Lacey, guard, Seattle Storm (age 22)
After a stellar career at Iowa State College, Alison Lacey was drafted at number 10 by the Storm in the 2010 WNBA draft. So far Lacey has had limited minutes (4.4mpg) in her first season in a team that is far and away the best in the league. At Iowa State, Lacey became the first player in school history to record 1500 points, 500 rebounds and 500 assists. Hopefully she can achieve similar milestones in a long and illustrious WNBA career.

Abby Bishop, forward, Seattle Storm (age 21)
Bishop is the third Aussie on the Storm’s 11-player roster and like Lacey, has had limited minutes (4.4mpg) in her rookie season. Bishop went undrafted in the 2010 WNBA draft, but was then signed as a free agent by the Storm on  April 1. She is the second youngest player in the league this season and is in familiar comany, playing alongside Lauren Jackson, with whome she won the WNBL championship at the Canberra Capitals in 2009-10.