The 2020-21 WNBL season free agency period will begin today at 1pm.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The league's eight clubs will be allowed to begin negotiations to secure any unrestricted free agents for the season, scheduled to tip-off in November.
During the free agency period there will be an emphasis on providing opportunities for developing Australian players for what will be the WNBL's 41st season.
RELATED: WNBL prepares for a November tip-off
Basketball Australia head of women in basketball Lauren Jackson said the WNBL could be considered as the "template" for the development of world-class athletes.
"With the Opals currently ranked number two in the world and the Gems finishing with the silver medal at last year's FIBA 19s World Cup, never has there been a greater opportunity for Australia to claim that title as the world's best women's basketball nation," Jackson said.
Another major change will be the ineligibility of restricted players, commonly known as "imports" on 2020-21 rosters.
"With COVID-19 set to impact the finances of the league and clubs for next season, Basketball Australia and the WNBL Commission have made a number of determinations to best support the future of the league and assist the national team achieve its goal of claiming gold at the Tokyo Olympics and 2022 World Cup."
"One of those decisions was to focus on showcasing the depth of local talent in 2020-21, with Restricted Players ineligible to be signed by WNBL clubs for the upcoming season," Jackson said.
Have you signed up to the Bendigo Advertiser's daily newsletter and breaking news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in central Victoria.