Flyers Sign Emerging Australian Talent Issie Bourne
The Southside Flyers are excited to announce the signing of Australian basketball rising star Isabelle Bourne for the next two seasons.
The signing is an impressive addition to a growing Flyers roster, and Bourne, a 188cm forward, brings a blend of youth, experience, and versatility to the team who are eager to rebound after a challenging 2024/25 campaign.
Her desire to be the best player she can and to be a long-time Opal was the driving force behind her signing with the Flyers develop her game further. In addition to the on-court development, the opportunities outside the game in PR and Communications are a bonus.
Speaking on her signing, Issie said
“I’m really excited to join this new group. There are a few familiar faces I’ve played with before, and others I haven’t, so I’m looking forward to building new connections and playing alongside such a talented and special group”.
Issie speaks highly of Head Coach Kristi Harrower, expressing she has a deep respect for her as a head coach and was a big reason why she signed with the Flyers. Having spent two seasons with Harrower at the Keilor Thunder, she said
“I’ve learned so much under her leadership, and I am really looking forward to continuing that growth here. What I’ve always admired about Kristi is how much she values character, culture, and team-first basketball—all qualities I really value too and want to be around”.
Bourne’s basketball journey has been marked by consistent growth and impressive performances. In 2019, she was a development player with the Canberra Capitals before attending the University of Nebraska, where she studied communications. Bourne captained the team for three seasons and averaged 12.6 points and 6.7 rebounds in her senior year. As impressive as she was on the court, she was just as impressive off it, with a long list of academic accolades to her name.
Bourne began her professional playing career with the Adelaide Lightning in the 2023/24 WNBL season. In Adelaide, she led all first-year players with 13.4 points per game and ranked among the top Australians for scoring and three-pointers made per game in her first season. She maintained consistency in the 2024/25 WNBL season, averaging 13 points and 4 rebounds per game, and was a vital cog in the Lightning’s lineup.
Bourne’s talents have also been recognised on the international stage. She represented Australia at the 2017 Oceania Championship, leading the team to a gold medal, the 2019 FIBA Under-19 World Cup, helping the Gems secure a silver medal. In 2025, she received her first call-up to the senior Australian Opals squad and has been selected to play in the 2025 FIBA Women’s Asia Cup in July, where she hopes this is the beginning of a long career with the national team. She was recently selected to represent Australia at the FIBA 3×3 Champions Cup, where the Gangurru’s won a bronze medal.
She is currently playing for Keilor in the NBL1 South competition, alongside fellow Flyer Maddy Rocci, and has been averaging 24 points and 9 rebounds per game.
Head Coach Kristi Harrower is thrilled to have Bourne join the Flyers, saying
“I have been lucky enough to coach Issie in the NBL1 at Keilor in the last 2 seasons and have seen first-hand her work ethic and how she just wants to get better every single day.
To see what she does week in and week out and how hard she works, the Flyers are very fortunate to have a player of her quality and work ethic, and importantly, a quality person, join the club.
She was the priority for us, and we are thrilled she made the decision to join the Flyers for the next two seasons.
A young player that will be a future Opal. She is 6”2, an athlete and can go back to the basket or stretch the floor, she will give great versatility for our team.”
With her blend of youth, talent, and international experience, Issie Bourne’s arrival marks an exciting new chapter for the Southside Flyers as they look to bounce back and make a strong impact in the 2025–26 WNBL season.
While Bourne is very clearly focused on basketball and becoming the best player she can and being part of a successful team, she keeps a well-balanced lifestyle. At the University of Nebraska, she showed the benefits of this balanced lifestyle on and off the court with a highly successful basketball career and an impressive academic record, including:
- First recipient of the Latimer Family Women’s Basketball Scholarship in 2021-22, and again in 2022-23 (the first fully endowed scholarship for women’s basketball at the University of Nebraska)
- College Sports Communicators Academic All-District selection in 2023
- Three-time Arthur Ash Jr. Sports Scholar
- Big Ten Distinguished Scholar in 2021
- Three-time Academic All-Big Ten choice
- Eight-time Nebraska Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll selection
- Three-time member of the Tom Osborne Citizenship Team
- Nebraska’s Big Ten Sportsmanship Award winner for women’s basketball in 2023
A quality person on and off the court. Welcome to the Flyers.
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