MIES (Switzerland) - Three-time Olympian Robyn Maher is being inducted to the FIBA Hall of Fame in honor of her stellar list of accomplishments on the court with Australia and at club level.
The former Opals' favorite is being enshrined in the Class of 2022 as part of a nine-strong group that have all contributed significantly to the development of women's basketball.
Maher is joined by fellow ballers Lisa Leslie (USA), Catarina Pollini (Italy), Jurgita Streimikyte-Virbickiene (Lithuania) and Mame Maty Mbengue (Senegal).
Robyn Maher ( #4) is an Opals' legend
The Class also includes deserved recognition for a number of coaches including Geno Auriemma (USA), Antonio Barbosa (Brazil) , Maria Planas (Spain) and Milan 'Ciga' Vasojevic (Serbia) who will be inducted posthumously.
She may have hung up her game shoes more than two decades ago, but Maher remains one of the most decorated and revered players in Australian Basketball history.
The forward stepped out for her country at the Olympic Games on three occasions, playing in 1984 in Los Angeles, in 1988 in Seoul and perhaps most memorably, when she captained Australia to a first bronze medal in Atlanta in 1996.
Maher was renowned as one of the most tenacious and effective defensive players in the women's global game
That third step on the podium was also matched in Germany during 1998. Having already competed at a staggering five editions of the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup previously, Maher signed off in style at her sixth appearance in the competition by collecting a bronze with the Opals. In total, she played an eye-popping 372 times for her country.
Meanwhile Maher’s outstanding club career lasted almost 20 years and spanned from 1981 to 1999, with her defensive prowess almost unrivalled during that period. So much so, that even today the WNBL in Australia has a Defensive Player of the Year Award in her honor, with Maher having won it herself in both 1992 and 1994.
Maher racked up honors at club level with 10 WNBL Championship titles, including being crowned MVP in 1983 and 1987
Even more impressively, she made 13 Grand Finals and won an amazing 10 Championships as a result, including six in seven years with Nunawading Spectres. Crowned MVP of the league in 1983 and 1987, she finished as one of the WNBL's All-Time top 10 scorers and was made a Life Member in 1997.
Her list of individual honors and deserved recognition is as long as the list of silverware she won on the basketball floor, with Maher inducted into the Australian Basketball Hall of Fame in 2004, something that came two years after being awarded the prestigious Medal of Australia.
Maher was inducted to the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 2018
Also inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 2018, Maher served on the Australian Olympic Committee’s Executive and as chair of its Athletes Commission. And, just to further underline the esteem in which she is held, she even had an international competition named after her in the shape of the 'Maher Cup.'
Married to current FIBA Hall of Famer Tom Maher who coached her at national team and club level, her induction will make them both the first married couple in the FIBA Hall of Fame.
The 2022 FIBA Hall of Fame induction ceremony will take place on November 30 in Mies, Switzerland.
| Name |
Robyn MAHER |
| Category of Inductee |
Player |
| Date of birth |
October 6th 1959 |
| Place of birth |
Ballarat, Victoria, Australia |
| Nationality |
Australian |
| Height |
1.78m - 5ft 10in |
| Clubs |
Melbourne Telstars (1981- 1982 )
Nunawading Spectres ( 1982-1989 )
Hobart Islanders ( 1990 - 1991 )
Perth Breakers (1992)
Sydney Flames (1993-2000)
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|
| Club highlights |
Ten-time Australian League Champion (1983, 1984, 1986-1989, 1991-1993, 1998)
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|
| National Team highlights |
Played in 3 Olympic Games (1984, 1988, 1996)
Played in six FIBA Women's Basketball World Cups (1979, 1983, 1986, 1990, 1994, 1998)
Olympic Games bronze medalist (1996)
FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup bronze medalist (1998)
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|
| Individual highlights |
Played 374 senior games for Australia (1978-1999)
Played 174 games as captain (1989-1999)
Two-time Australian League MVP (1983, 1987)
Australian League All Star Five (1988)
Australian League Defensive Player of the Year (1992, 1994)
Three-time International Player of the Year (1988, 1990, 1991)
Australian League All-TIme Top 10 scorer
Maher Cup established in recognition of contribution (1999)
Inducted into the Basketball Australia Hall of Fame (1994)
WNBL Life Member (1997)
Awarded the Medal of Australia (2002)
Inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame (2018)
Served on Australia's Olympic Committee Executive and as Chair of its Athlete Commission.
Two-time official of the Australian Olympic delegation (2000, 2004)
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FIBA