| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born | (1968-05-26) 26 May 1968 (age 56) Murrayville, Victoria, Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 175 lb (79 kg) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| WNBA draft | 1998: 2nd round, 14th overall pick | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Selected by the Detroit Shock | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Playing career | 1986–2004 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Forward | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career history | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1986–1989 | West Adelaide Bearcats | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1990–1991 | North Adelaide Rockets | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1992 | West Adelaide Bearcats | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1993–2004 | Adelaide Lightning | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1998–1999, 2001 | Detroit Shock | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medals
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Rachael Pamela Sporn OAM (born 26 May 1968) is an Australian former basketball player and three-time Olympian.
Born in Murrayville, Victoria,[1] Sporn debuted in the Women's National Basketball League (WNBL) in 1986 with the West Adelaide Bearcats. After four seasons with the Bearcats, she joined the North Adelaide Rockets where she won her first WNBL championship in 1990. After two seasons with the Rockets, she returned for a season with the Bearcats in 1992 before joining the Adelaide Lightning in 1993.[2]
Sporn played 12 seasons for the Adelaide Lightning between 1993 and 2004.[2] She was twice named WNBL MVP and was an eight-time WNBL All-Star Five honouree. She finished her career as the WNBL's all-time points and rebounding leader.[3] She also played three seasons for the Detroit Shock of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA).[3]
Sporn played 304 games for the Australia women's national basketball team, the Opals, earning three Olympic Games medals – two silver medals (2000 and 2004) and a bronze (1996). She also competed at the World Championships in 1990, 1994 and 1998.[4][1]
Sporn is a member of the Australian Sports Hall of Fame and the Australian Basketball Hall of Fame.[3][4][5] She was awarded the Australian Sports Medal in 2000 and the Centenary Medal in 2001.[6][7]
In 2007, Sporn's number 14 jersey was retired by the Adelaide Lightning. In September 2023, Sporn and the Lightning agreed to un-retired her jersey.[8]
Sporn's older brother, Kieran, is a former Australian rules footballer.[9]
Sporn and her husband, Maurie Ranger, have two children.[10] As of 2019, they live in Adelaide.[10]
In 2015, Sporn was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia.[11]
