Anneli Maley

Anneli Maley
No. 24 – Perth Lynx
PositionForward
LeagueWNBL
Personal information
Born (1998-09-01) 1 September 1998 (age 26)
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Listed height185 cm (6 ft 1 in)
Career information
High school
College
Playing career2014–present
Career history
2014–2015BA Centre of Excellence
2016–2017Adelaide Lightning
2017Dandenong Rangers
2019Diamond Valley Eagles
2019–2020Southside Flyers
2020Sydney Uni Flames
2021–2023Eltham Wildcats
2021–2023Bendigo Spirit
2022Chicago Sky
2023–presentPerth Lynx
2024–presentPerth Redbacks
Career highlights and awards
Stats at Basketball Reference Edit this at Wikidata
Medals
Women's basketball
Representing  Australia
FIBA World Cup
Bronze medal – third place 2022 Australia
Asia Cup
Bronze medal – third place 2023 Australia
FIBA Under-19 World Championship
Bronze medal – third place 2015 Australia U-19 Team
FIBA Oceania Junior Championship
Gold medal – first place 2013 Australia U-17 Team
Gold medal – first place 2014 Fiji U-19 Team
Women's 3x3 basketball
FIBA 3x3 World Cup
Bronze medal – third place 2023 Vienna Team

Anneli Maley (born 1 September 1998) is an Australian professional basketball player for the Perth Lynx of the Women's National Basketball League (WNBL). She is also contracted with the Perth Redbacks of the NBL1 West. She made her WNBL debut in 2016 and then spent two seasons in the United States playing college basketball for the Oregon Ducks and TCU Horned Frogs. With the Bendigo Spirit in 2022, she was named the WNBL Most Valuable Player.

Early life and career

Maley was born in Melbourne, Victoria.[1] She attended Eltham High School and played both basketball and volleyball as a youth.[2]

In 2014 as a 15-year-old, Maley moved to Canberra to attend the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS)[2] and play for the BA Centre of Excellence in the South East Australian Basketball League (SEABL). After two seasons,[3] she returned to Melbourne and was set to play for the Nunawading Spectres in the 2016 SEABL season.[4] However, due to burn out which led to anxiety and depression, Maley took time away from basketball in 2016 after she was admitted to a hospital psychiatric ward after a panic attack mirrored the physical symptoms of a cardiac arrest.[2]

Maley returned to basketball later in the year at Box Hill Senior Secondary College, where she led the school to the Australian Schools Championship title.[5]

In December 2016, Maley signed with the Adelaide Lightning for the rest of the 2016–17 WNBL season.[6] In 12 games, she averaged 3.9 points and 4.2 rebounds per game.[7] She then played for the Dandenong Rangers in 2017 SEABL season.[3]

College career

In April 2017, Maley signed a National Letter of Intent to play college basketball for the University of Oregon.[8] With the Ducks of the Pac-12 Conference in the NCAA Division I, she played in 37 games as a freshman in 2017–18, including all 18 Pac-12 regular season games and all three Pac-12 tournament games as the Ducks won both conference titles. She averaged just under 10 minutes per game and scored a total of 81 points on the season.[7]

In April 2018, Maley transferred to Texas Christian University (TCU).[7] She was initially deemed ineligible to play in the 2018–19 season due to NCAA transfer rules,[7] but she received a waiver to play immediately.[9] She left the TCU Horned Frogs mid season[9] after playing 10 games between 6 November and 20 December.[10]

Professional career

In February 2019, Maley signed with the Diamond Valley Eagles for the inaugural NBL1 season.[11] She went on to earn NBL1 Youth Player of the Year honours.[12]

In August 2019, Maley signed with the Southside Flyers for the 2019–20 WNBL season.[13]

Maley joined the Sydney Uni Flames for the 2020 WNBL Hub season in Queensland.[14] She then joined the Eltham Wildcats for the 2021 NBL1 South season.[10]

Maley joined the Bendigo Spirit for the 2021–22 WNBL season and went on to win the WNBL Most Valuable Player Award.[15] She subsequently joined the Chicago Sky and had a four-game stint during the 2022 WNBA season.[10] She then returned to the Eltham Wildcats for the 2022 NBL1 South season.[10]

After a second season with the Bendigo Spirit in 2022–23,[16] Maley re-joined the Chicago Sky for the 2023 WNBA preseason.[17] She then returned to the Eltham Wildcats for her third NBL1 South season.[10]

On 23 June 2023, Maley signed with the Perth Lynx for the 2023–24 WNBL season.[18][19] She was named team captain.[20] In her debut on 3 November 2023, she had 21 rebounds against the Sydney Flames to break the Lynx's 20-rebound record set by Jenny Crouse in 2002.[21] On 18 February 2024, she had 17 points, 20 rebounds and eight assists in a 94–79 win over the University of Canberra Capitals.[22] She helped the Lynx reach the WNBL grand final, where they lost 2–1 to the Southside Flyers. Maley missed two free throws and a lay-up in the dying stages of game two of the grand final series when scores were tied. The Flyers won on the buzzer and then won the championship in game three.[23]

Maley joined the Perth Redbacks of the NBL1 West for the 2024 season.[24] On 7 June, she had 27 points and 24 rebounds in a 91–90 loss to the Lakeside Lightning.[25] She was named to the All-NBL1 West First Team.[26]

On 5 July 2024, Maley re-signed with the Lynx for the 2024–25 WNBL season.[27]

WNBA 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

Regular season

Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG TO PPG
2022 Chicago 4 0 11.0 .500 .667 .000 1.8 0.8 0.8 0.3 0.3 2.0
Career 1 year, 1 team 4 0 11.0 .500 .667 .000 1.8 0.8 0.8 0.3 0.3 2.0

National team career

Maley first played for Australia at the 2013 FIBA Oceania Under-16 Championship. She went on to play at the 2014 FIBA Under-17 World Championship, 2014 FIBA Oceania Under-18 Championship, 2015 FIBA Under-19 World Championship, and 2017 FIBA Under-19 World Cup.[28][29]

In 2022, Maley played for the Australian Opals at the FIBA World Cup.[28]

With the Australian 3x3 team, Maley won silver at the 2022 FIBA 3x3 Asia Cup and bronze at the 2023 FIBA 3x3 World Cup.[30] She helped Australia win gold at the 2024 FIBA 3x3 Asia Cup[31] and helped the team win the 2024 Olympic Qualifying Tournament.[32] She was subsequently named in Australia's first 3x3 Olympic team for the 2024 Paris Olympics.[33]

Personal life

Maley's father, Paul Maley, was born in the United States and later moved to Australia where he played 270 games in the National Basketball League (NBL).[2] She has two brothers.[2] Her brother, Finnbar, was drafted by the North Melbourne Football Club in 2023.[34]

Maley's fiancé, Marena Whittle, is also a professional basketball player.[35][36]

References

  1. ^ "Anneli Maley". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d e Pearce, Linda (16 February 2022). "The year away from basketball that saved Anneli Maley's mental health and career". codesports.com.au. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
  3. ^ a b "Player statistics for Anneli Maley". SEABL. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
  4. ^ "SPECTRES SCORE EMERGING STAR ANNELI MALEY". MEBA. 15 October 2015. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
  5. ^ Nagy, Boti (14 December 2016). "Lightning recruit Anneli Maley heads for a WNBL 'baptism of Fire' as defending champs head to town". adelaidenow.com.au. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
  6. ^ Nagy, Boti (6 December 2016). "Adelaide Lightning recruiting coup secures Anneli Maley, daughter of former 36ers import Paul Maley". adelaidenow.com.au. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
  7. ^ a b c d "TCU Adds Transfer Anneli Maley". gofrogs.com. 16 April 2018. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
  8. ^ "Women's Basketball Signs Australian Guard to NLI". goducks.com. 12 April 2017. Retrieved 27 April 2017.
  9. ^ a b France, Lachy (7 January 2019). "NCAA Women: Goodchild picks up ACC Rookie of the Week". The Pick and Roll. Retrieved 24 October 2019.
  10. ^ a b c d e "Anneli Maley". australiabasket.com. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
  11. ^ "Anneli Maley Signs with Eagles Elite League team for 2019!". Diamond Valley Basketball Association. 8 February 2019. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
  12. ^ "Gatlin And Wilson Crowned NBL1 MVPs". NBL1.com.au. 18 August 2019. Archived from the original on 14 January 2022. Retrieved 18 August 2019.
  13. ^ "The good news keeps coming!". facebook.com/southsideflyers. 28 August 2019. Retrieved 21 September 2020.
  14. ^ Flames, Sydney (24 June 2020). "FLAMES HIT THE GROUND RUNNING WITH TWO NEW SIGNINGS FOR 2020-21". Sydney Flames. Retrieved 21 September 2020.
  15. ^ "ANNELI MALEY NAMED THE WNBL 2021/22 SUZY BATKOVIC MVP". wnbl.basketball. 1 April 2022. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
  16. ^ Bendigo (22 June 2023). "BENDIGO SPIRIT AND ANNELI MALEY ANNOUNCEMENT". wnbl.basketball/bendigo. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
  17. ^ "Chicago Sky Signs Maley to Training Camp Roster". wnba.com. 17 February 2023. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
  18. ^ Lauren (23 June 2023). "LEAGUE MVP ANNELI MALEY SIGNS WITH THE PERTH LYNX FOR SEASON 2023-24". wnbl.basketball/perth. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
  19. ^ O'Donoghue, Craig (23 June 2023). "Perth Lynx sign WNBL MVP winner Anneli Maley on a two year deal in major boost for licence negotiations". TheWest.com.au. Archived from the original on 24 June 2023. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
  20. ^ O'Donoghue, Craig (30 October 2023). "Perth Lynx announce Anneli Maley as captain and Amy Atwell as vice-captain ahead of the start of WNBL season". The West Australian. Archived from the original on 30 October 2023. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
  21. ^ O'Donoghue, Craig (3 November 2023). "Perth Lynx captain Anneli Maley drags in 21 rebounds to break club record in WNBL win over Sydney Flames". The West Australian. Archived from the original on 3 November 2023. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
  22. ^ O'Donoghue, Craig (18 February 2024). "Perth Lynx stars Anneli Maley and Aari McDonald dominate against Canberra to keep WNBL finals dreams alive". The West Australian. Archived from the original on 18 February 2024. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
  23. ^ O'Donoghue, Craig (30 October 2024). "Dribble Podcast: Perth Lynx captain Anneli Maley on the heartache and ecstasy of sport after grand final loss". The West Australian. Archived from the original on 30 October 2024. Retrieved 30 October 2024.
  24. ^ "ANNELI MALEY - A PERTH REDBACK IN 2024". facebook.com/perthredbacks. 13 February 2024. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
  25. ^ "Lakeside vs Perth". NBL1.com.au. 7 June 2024. Archived from the original on 7 June 2024.
  26. ^ "NBL1 West Women | All-NBL1 1st Team". facebook.com/NBLOneWest. 20 July 2024. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
  27. ^ Lauren (5 July 2024). "MALEY SIGNS ON AGAIN". wnbl.basketball/perth. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  28. ^ a b "Anneli Maley". fiba.basketball. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
  29. ^ "Rising Star – Anneli Maley continues her path to the top with guidance from her parents". livonbasketball.com. 23 June 2015. Archived from the original on 13 April 2017. Retrieved 24 January 2017.
  30. ^ "Bronze for Aussie Gangurrus". australia.basketball. 5 June 2023. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
  31. ^ Woods, Dan (31 March 2024). "Australia sweeps FIBA 3x3 Asia Cup". NBL.com.au. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
  32. ^ "Gangurrus secure Olympic qualification". NBL.com.au. 6 May 2024. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
  33. ^ "Australian teams for Paris 2024 Olympics announced". Basketball Australia. 6 July 2024. Archived from the original on 11 July 2024. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
  34. ^ Pierik, Jon (22 November 2023). "Dumped Hawks defender finds new home as Demons welcome father-son". The Age. Retrieved 9 January 2024.
  35. ^ O'Donoghue, Craig (1 November 2023). "Dribble Podcast: Perth Lynx captain Anneli Maley discusses how she lives away from fiancé Marena Whittle". The West Australian. Archived from the original on 2 November 2023. Retrieved 2 November 2023.
  36. ^ O'Donoghue, Craig (30 July 2024). "Paris Olympic Games 2024: Perth Lynx captain Anneli Maley and fiance Marena Whittle ready for their moment". The West Australian. Archived from the original on 30 July 2024. Retrieved 30 July 2024.