Lauren Nicholson will bring energy and new perspectives in her return to Sydney Flames

Nicholson’s last feature in the WNBL was in the 2023-24 season, where she was third in points per game, second in free-throw percentage, seventh in three-point percentage, eighth in made three-pointers and 10th in assists. She won Defensive Player of the Year and was selected in the All-WNBL First Team.

Guy Molloy has been the head coach of the Sydney Flames since 2023, and he was at the helm when Nicholson put up this superlative season. “During the 2023-24 season, Loz was the heart and soul of the team,” Molly said to The Next. “It’s rare to be both an All-WNBL selection and Defensive Player of the Year — she brought it at both ends at a very high level. I’m pumped about her returning to the team.”

That outstanding season Nicholson was just a middling one for the team however, as the Flames went 11-10 in 2023-24, an injury-riddled year. They boasted the likes of Nicholson, WNBA Champion Cayla George, WNBA prospect Shaneice Swain and Australian Opals captain Tess Madgen. The biggest challenge that plagued them was coming together to play with each other at the same time. Still, in a tightly packed competition, they finished the season with the same record as eventual finalists Perth Lynx.

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With all of the inconsistency that surrounded the Flames that season, Nicholson was a shining light. She wasn’t just stable, she excelled. Her absence was sorely missed for Sydney in the following season, 2024-25, after being so available the year before.

“There was no one game in particular we missed her last season; rather, I felt her absence acutely from the very start,” Molloy said to The Next. “As the team got further decimated by injuries, it was clear we didn’t have the talent to win most games. Yet if we had had Loz, I’m sure we would’ve snuck another game or two.”

The feeling was mutual. “I missed being around a team every day,” Nicholson said to The Next, reflecting on her time away from the Flames. “I missed going to work and getting to see teammates who quickly become your family.”

“I’m also a competitor,” Nicholson continued, “so I really missed competition in training and games.”

Nicholson is a two time WNBL champion and two time Defensive Player of the Year. She’s represented the Opals numerous times on the international stage as well, earning hardware in the Asia Cup and playing a role in qualifying for the Tokyo Olympics.

Her signing comes after the news that the Flames will be without Cayla George for the upcoming season. George has yet to sign with another WNBL team but is actively playing in the NBL1 North with the Cairns Dolphins. She’s likely to return to the WNBL; where, however, is the question. But these open-ended inquiries make way for a new era in Sydney, as the team will be markedly different from who they were the last time Nicholson played there. It’s a new beginning.

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And another new beginning? Becoming a mother. “Having a baby gives you a bit of a different perspective,” Nicholson shared with The Next. “Although I want to win and the result will always affect me, I get to go home and also be a mum, which is a lot bigger than anything else.”

Nicholson will likely be stepping back into an integral role both on and off the court, and her return to the WNBL will be an intriguing story to follow. Star players in leagues across the world who have returned after becoming mothers note the impact it has on their production. DeWanna Bonner and Napheesa Collier are two WNBA stars who have spoken widely about how motherhood has impacted their careers George spoke about it on The W Basketball Show.

“Some of my best games last season I was running on four hours sleep,” George said. “Like that triple double I got — four hours sleep.”

Nicholson, Molloy and the rest of the Flames are all keen to get back in the same locker room again. They’re all on the same page and their enthusiasm is palpable. Nicholson especially is eager to get back on the court. “I learned a lot about myself and how much I do love basketball,” Nicholson said about her time away from the game. “It comes with a fair few disappointments, but having some time away and reflecting, it was clear how much I missed it and couldn’t wait to play again.

“I can’t wait to be a part of a team again,” she continued. “From the players, coaches, and the organization, I’m just excited to be around people who all want to achieve something special.”

WNBL free agency opened a few days ago, and the rosters of most teams remain far from filled. The Flames currently have a register of Nicholson, Swain, Emma Clarke and Carla Pitman. For a free agent, this is an attractive team to join — strong starters and good building blocks. If Sydney can put a few more pieces together, like landing an impactful big to generate front-court action, the Flames could be on their way to real contention in Nicholson’s first season back.

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