Isobel Borlase first emerged as a standout prospect after joining Basketball Australia's Centre of Excellence in 2021. That same year, she represented Australia at the FIBA Under-19 World Cup with the Gems, helping the team win silver after a strong run to the final against the United States.
Looking back on her time at the CoE, Borlase says it was pivotal to her development.
"I think that moving to the COE was one of the best things that I did for my basketball. I was put in an environment where I was not the best and it exposed me very quickly to have to get better everyday," she said.
"It was also where I started to dream of playing for the opals and the green and gold cause you are immersed in that environment everyday."
That environment also shaped some of her closest friendships.
"Jade was my buddy to start with and I was intimidated by her and now we are really good friends!" Borlase said, reflecting that special things can happen when you play together and for the name on the front, not the back.
One memory in particular has stayed with her. "I remember staying up and watching the Opals play at the Tokyo Olympics in our pod and just thinking that even though the result wasn't what the team at the time wanted, they had just inspired five more girls to want to play for the Opals," she said.
During the 2022 NBL1 season with the Centre of Excellence, Borlase averaged 13.57 points, 5.29 rebounds and 2.64 assists across 14 games. She then joined the Adelaide Lightning for the 2022–23 WNBL season, where she was named Sixth Woman of the Year and Breakout Player of the Year. Borlase also returned to the Gems, averaging 14.4 points, 7.6 rebounds and 4.4 assists as Australia won the 2022 FIBA Under-18 Asian Championship.
Borlase continued to rise during the 2023–24 WNBL season, earning All-WNBL First Team honours with the Lightning.
She was later selected by the Atlanta Dream with pick 20 in the WNBA Draft but chose to remain in Adelaide to keep developing before making the move to the United States.
At just 19, Borlase made her Opals debut during the 2024 Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Brazil before earning selection for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
She helped Australia claim bronze, the Opals' first Olympic medal since London 2012. Borlase was also part of the Opals' victorious 2025 FIBA Women's Asia Cup campaign, where she averaged 8.6 points per game.
Borlase joined the Bendigo Spirit for the 2025–26 WNBL season and quickly became one of the league's dominant players.
At just 21, she led the competition in scoring with 22.9 points per game, while also averaging 6.3 rebounds and 3.5 assists. Her standout season earned her the WNBL MVP award, making her only the fifth player aged 21 or younger to receive the honour.
Heading into the 2026 FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup, Borlase has also been building experience in her first full WNBA season with the Atlanta Dream. Her best performance came against Toronto, where she recorded 17 points, three rebounds and one assist.
She also represented the Opals at the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup Qualifying Tournament in Turkey, averaging 10.4 points, two rebounds and 1.6 assists per game.
Now, Borlase is ready to test herself on the world stage when the Opals open their World Cup campaign against Puerto Rico on September 4.
"I'm most looking forward to just wearing the green and gold with all 12 girls. It's such a special honour to do it anytime, so to be doing it at my first World Cup is exciting," she said.
For Borlase, the jersey carries a deeper meaning beyond the competition itself. "I feel like being an Opal to me is just the ultimate pride. There is nothing like wearing the green and gold with your teammates and just genuinely always wanting the best for each other."
Head to the FIBA Women's World Cup event page for more.
