Tasmanian basketball royalty Andie Smith is set to carve her own path to sporting glory as the second Development Player signed to the Tasmania Jewels for WNBL 2026/27.
“This is surreal,” Smith said. “To be a part of the first ever Tasmania Jewels team is the stuff of dreams.
“I always thought I would have to leave home to play in the WNBL, so to have this chance to wear a Tasmania jersey and play in front of a home crowd is really incredible.
“I want to go as far as I can in basketball; the Opals, the Olympics, and having this opportunity, the team, the experts behind me, is going to help me to get there.”
At just 17, Smith already has an illustrious career; a four-time Tasmanian national representative, Oceania Championship winning Australian U17 Saphire and second-year scholarship holder at Australia’s basketball Centre of Excellence in Canberra.
She’s also the youngest member of an Australian basketball dynasty, which boasts dad Darren Smith, who played over 200 NBL games, and sister Alanna Smith, who plays in the WNBA, and is an Olympic and World Championship medalist.
But Jewels Head Coach Claudia Brassard said selecting Andie had nothing to do with her name and everything to do with her pure talent.
“Andie is a really exciting prospect,” Brassard said. “She’s a genuine 6’4” forward who can move, handle the ball and play multiple positions.
“Players with that combination of size and skill are hard to find, and she’s only just scratching the surface of what she can become.”
Smith joins fellow Tasmanian rising star Nikki Parker as a Development Player on the Jewels, which will comprise of one more DP and 10 Rostered Players.
Jewels Assistant General Manager of WNBL Kayla Steindl said recruiting and investing in local talent was a top priority for the Tasmania Jewels.
“The Tasmania Jewels give young Tasmanians an opportunity they’ve never had before, to stay and play here at home,” Steindl said.
“That’s really going to change the game, on and off the court. We’ll see the talent of Tasmanian women shoot through the roof, and we’ll see the next generation inspired too.
“But we don’t just want to cultivate elite sportswomen, we want to inspire young girls and boys on and off the court too – and having the Jewels join the JackJumpers on the national stage will help to achieve that.”
Tasmanian Jewels inaugural membership information is coming soon. The season will start in October, with the Jewels playing half their games in Hobart at the MyState Bank Arena and half in Launceston at the Silverdome.
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