Cairns Basketball secures Cayla George

Cairns Basketball Inc. is excited to announce the signing of Australian Opal and three-time WNBL Champion Cayla George, who has committed to the Kenfrost Homes Cairns Dolphins on a two-year agreement as the team’s marquee player.
 
Off the back of an impressive Tokyo Olympics campaign where the Opals memorably defeated Puerto Rico to make the quarterfinals, George commits to Cairns where she will lead the Dolphins and be integral to spearheading a WNBL franchise in Far North Queensland.
 
The 32-year-old center has represented Australia multiple times – boasting two Olympic campaigns (2016 Rio, 2020 Tokyo) a gold medal from the 2018 Commonwealth Games, a silver and bronze from the FIBA World Cup (2014, 2018) as well as a bronze medal from the 2019 FIBA Asia Cup.
 
Originally from South Australia, George attended the Australian Institute of Sports and was recruited by her hometown team, the Adelaide Lightning, where she was named 2007 Rookie of the Year after averaging a double-double of 15 points and 11 rebounds to begin her impressive WNBL career.
 
She went on to play with the Logan Thunder, Townsville Fire, and most recently the Melbourne Boomers, where she is currently the captain of their 2021-22 squad. She has been named MVP at all three WNBL clubs and earned three titles (2015, 2016, 2019) in Townsville.
 
George has also played overseas in France and Hungary and has been one of the very few Australians to make it to the WNBA – competing for the Phoenix Mercury and Dallas Wings.
 
George first played for the Cairns Dolphins in 2011 and will return in 2022 to strengthen the young squad and promote female basketball in the region, with a Cairns-based WNBL team in her sights.
 
“I’m thrilled to be back more than 10 years after my first season with the Dolphins. I always wanted to play for Cairns again – it is my adopted hometown and I’m passionate about promoting and inspiring the excellent young female basketball talent here.
 
“I’ve had some great conversations with Head Coach Myra Donkin and we are really confident about potential roster signings and building a strong team,” said George.
 
“We need to make the Dolphins championship contenders and replicate the structure of the Marlins. They’ve become the Taipans feeder team, and that is exactly what can happen if we introduce a WNBL program here.
 
“We’ve already got an established basketball fanbase and all the facilities, staffing and operations to introduce a franchise here and I want to be part of that process. The next couple of years are going to be really exciting.”
 
The 2022 NBL1 North season is expected to commence in April next year, following the 2021-22 NBL season.