Born and raised in Melbourne, Marena Whittle played basketball throughout her school years, showcasing her talent early on by winning multiple medals at National School Championships and being named MVP in 2011.
Education and Early Achievements
- School: Attended Wheelers Hill Campus from 2006 to 2011.
- Early Success:
- Won multiple medals at National School Championships.
- Named MVP in 2011.
College Career in the USA
- North Dakota State University: In 2012, Marena moved to the USA to play basketball for North Dakota State University, where she played over 100 games over four years.
Professional Career
- Return to Australia:
- 2016: Joined the Nunawading Spectres and made her debut in the South East Australian Basketball League (SEABL).
- 2017: Earned All-SEABL First Team honours.
- 2018: Briefly returned to the Spectres.
- WNBL Debut:
- 2018: Joined the Bendigo Spirit.
- 2019: Moved to Perth Lynx, winning the club’s Most Improved Player award and developed an interest in the 3×3 basketball format.
Passion for 3×3 Basketball
Marena expressed her love for the 3×3 game in 2019, highlighting its freedom and the necessity for each player to have a significant impact.
“I love 3×3 because there’s so much freedom on the court and everyone matters, and gets the chance to play with the basketball and to have an impact in one way or another,” Marena said in 2019. “I find in 5×5 that you can kind of get by just being a role player but in 3×3 there’s nowhere to hide out there. I love it because on every play and in every game you need to make an impact. There’s a lot of pressure that comes with that but I also have so much fun with it because there’s so much freedom and that’s how I like to play.”
Recent Achievements and International Success
- Adelaide Lightning: Played from 2020 to 2023.
- 3×3 International Success:
- 2022: Won silver at the FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup and bronze at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, where she led the tournament in one-point shooting percentage at 62%.
- 2023: Won bronze at the FIBA 3×3 World Cup.
- 2024:
- Won gold at the FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup.
- Part of the first Gangurrus team to win a FIBA 3×3 Universality Olympic Qualifying Tournament with teammates Anneli Maley, Lauren Mansfield, and Alex Wilson.
Victories against Kenya (22-9) and no.2 seed Canada (21-16) in the group stages set up a high-intensity semi-final against Brazil (18-16) and a nail-biting rematch against Canada (19-16) in the final. It was their last chance to qualify, as they were not eligible to participate in the final Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Hungary. The win was extra special as she got to celebrate alongside her fiancée Anneli.
Olympic Debut
- Paris Olympics: Marena will make her debut in the 3×3 basketball at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Image Credit: Olympics Australia
