At just 18 years old, Lily Fitzgerald has had a basketball career that many budding players would dream of - and now, after playing NBL1 for the past three years, Fitzgerald is 'returning home' to play for Mandurah Magic.
"I've always played basketball - since I was really young," Fitzgerald said.
"My family all played - my brother, mum, aunties, nan and pop - it has always run throughout my family."
Fitzgerald started playing domestically in Mandurah from the age of eight years old, and moved to a specialised basketball school for her high school years.
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"I started thinking about playing professionally when I was about 13 or 14, I moved to Willetton Senior High School which is a specialised school where you study basketball.
"When they had the development squad going I joined in at the youngest I could, which was under 12s... I was about ten.
"It kinda just progressed from there into WABL."
Fitzgerald signed her first NBL1 contract at 14, back when it was called SBL.
"I was in the Perth Links junior development program when I was 16 and my first NBL1 contract was when I was 14.
"I've played NBL1 for the past three years but this is my first year playing with Magic.
"It's really good to be home."
Fitzgerald still lives in Mandurah with her family and said it was the perfect location to do what she loves.
"Living in Mandurah is great because I love to go to the beach.
"I also love to go to the gym - beach and the gym is pretty much all I do," she laughed.
Mandurah Magic continues to announce their NBL1 teams on their Facebook page.
Samantha Ferguson
Samantha Ferguson is a journalist at the Mandurah Mail. She is an entertainment, sport, crime, community and education journalist with a special interest in investigative pieces and human interest stories.
Samantha Ferguson is a journalist at the Mandurah Mail. She is an entertainment, sport, crime, community and education journalist with a special interest in investigative pieces and human interest stories.
