Mikaela Dombkins

Mikaela Dombkins (born 1 August 1986) is an Australian professional basketball player and coach. She played 11 seasons in the Women's National Basketball League (WNBL) between 2003 and 2016. She currently serves as an assistant coach with the Bendigo Spirit of the WNBL.

Mikaela Dombkins
Dombkins with the Canberra Capitals in 2012
Bendigo Spirit
PositionAssistant coach
LeagueWNBL
Personal information
Born (1986-08-01) 1 August 1986
Newcastle, New South Wales
NationalityAustralian
Listed height181 cm (5 ft 11 in)
Career information
Playing career2003–present
PositionGuard
Coaching career2021–present
Career history
As player:
2003–2006Australian Institute of Sport
2006–2008Sydney Uni Flames
2007Manly Warringah Sea Eagles
2008Maitland Mustangs
2009Sandringham Sabres
2009–2011Sydney Uni Flames
2010Frankston Blues
2011Maitland Mustangs
2011–2013Canberra Capitals
2012Canberra Nationals
2013Waverley Falcons
2014Sandringham Sabres
2015Norths Bears
2015–2016Adelaide Lightning
2019–2021Newcastle Hunters
2021Mackay Meteorettes
As coach:
2021–presentBendigo Spirit
Career highlights and awards

Early life

Dombkins was born in Newcastle, New South Wales.[1] She played her junior basketball for the Maitland Mustangs.[2]

Professional career

Australian Institute of Sport (2003–2006)

Dombkins came to the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) on a scholarship when she was 16.[3] She played for the AIS WNBL team in the WNBL between 2003 and 2006.[4][5] She endured knee and foot injuries during her time at the AIS.[5][6][7] In October 2005, she scored 24 points against the Perth Lynx.[8]

Sydney Uni Flames (2006–2008)

For the 2006–07 WNBL season, Dombkins joined the Sydney Uni Flames.[4] She played two positions for the team, guard and forward.[4] She left the Flames after the 2007–08 season.[2]

Logan Thunder (2008–2009)

For the 2008–09 WNBL season, Dombkins joined the Logan Thunder.[2][9] She did not make her debut for the Thunder[2] after missing the season with a back injury.[10]

Return to Sydney (2009–2011)

Dombkins returned to the Sydney Uni Flames for the 2009–10 WNBL season.[2] In January 2010, she made a three-point shot to win the game against the Canberra Capitals.[11] She missed the entire 2010–11 season with another back injury which almost ended her career.[7]

Canberra Capitals (2011–2013)

Dombkins joined the Canberra Capitals for the 2011–12 WNBL season.[12][13][14] There were some concerns by team management about her potential performance ability because of the previous back injuries.[13] The Capitals' coach said that Michelle Cosier's injury in the pre-season provided an opportunity to look at Dombkins as an option off the bench.[15] She recorded 11 points and eight rebounds in her debut for the Capitals.[16] In November 2012 against Sydney, she had 14 points and eight rebounds and was named player of the match.[17]

In January 2013, Dombkins was ruled out for the rest of the 2012–13 season with a knee injury.[18]

Adelaide Lightning (2015–2016)

In July 2015, after two seasons out of the league, Dombkins signed with the Adelaide Lightning for the 2015–16 WNBL season.[19]

Off-season stints

In 2007, Dombkins played for the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles in the Waratah League. She continued on in the Waratah League with the Maitland Mustangs in 2008.[20] In 2009, she played for the Sandringham Sabres in the South East Australian Basketball League (SEABL). She continued on in the SEABL for the Frankston Blues in 2010.[21] In 2011, she returned for a season with the Maitland Mustangs.[22] In 2012, she played for the Canberra Nationals in the SEABL.[21] In 2013, she played for the Waverley Falcons in the Big V.[23] She returned to the Sandringham Sabres in 2014.[21] In 2015, she played for the Norths Bears in the Waratah League.[24] Between 2019 and 2021, she played for the Newcastle Hunters and won a Waratah League championship in 2019.[24] The Hunters were crowned champions in 2021 following the season's cancellation due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[25] She finished the 2021 season with the Mackay Meteorettes of the NBL1 North.[24]

National team career

Dombkins represented Australia at the Under 19 World Championship for Women in Tunisia in 2005,[26] and at the Under 21 World Championship for Women in Russia in 2007, where the team won silver.[27]

Coaching career

In November 2021, Dombkins joined the Bendigo Spirit as an assistant coach for the 2021–22 WNBL season.[28]

Personal life

After rupturing a disc in her back in 2010 forced her to take a break from basketball, she returned to modelling. She has appeared in Cleo magazine, Handle magazine and the Australian men's magazine Alpha. She earned a diploma in fashion design,[3][17] and has specialised in designing her own swim wear.[29]

Dombkins and her partner, WNBA player, Leilani Mitchell welcomed their first child Kash Maxwell on July 24, 2018. On June 4, 2022, the couple welcomed their second child, daughter Elle.

References
  1. "Canberra Capitals: Player Profile". WNBL.com.au. Archived from the original on 18 March 2012. Retrieved 7 January 2012.
  2. "Mikaela Dombkins". Women's National Basketball League. Retrieved 10 November 2012.
  3. "Model Mikaela Dombkins". Wix.com. Retrieved 10 November 2012.
  4. "Flame's burning desire to be like Sun". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 7 January 2012.
  5. Rwiasak (27 September 2005). "AIS plays give and take to fix shaky roster". The Canberra Times. Retrieved 9 January 2012.
  6. Benson, Andrew (8 October 2003). "AIS on top but crippled for tough times ahead". The Canberra Times. Retrieved 9 January 2012.
  7. Dutton, Chris (23 September 2011). "Lewis ready to force her way into Caps' starting five". The Canberra Times. Retrieved 12 January 2012.
  8. Basketball (9 October 2005). "Promising start but AIS falls short against Perth". The Canberra Times. Retrieved 9 January 2012.
  9. Murdoch, Alex (10 May 2008). "Mikaela Dombkins poses for Alpha Magazine". couriermail.com.au. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
  10. "Thunder rolls Perth in WNBL debut". abc.net.au. 4 October 2008. Retrieved 29 January 2022. ...but Mikaela Dombkins will remain benched for at least six weeks with a back injury.
  11. Chris Dutton (24 January 2010). "Jackson beats heat and buzzer". The Canberra Times. Retrieved 9 January 2012.
  12. Dutton, Chris (9 December 2011). "Fear the secret weapon in Caps' aresenal: Dombkins". The Canberra Times. Retrieved 8 January 2012.
  13. Dutton, Chris (14 September 2011). "Short will be sweet for seasoned Caps". The Canberra Times. Archived from the original on 6 December 2012. Retrieved 7 January 2012.
  14. Dutton, Chris (8 September 2011). "Capitals take a hit as Lacey steps out". The Canberra Times. Retrieved 9 January 2012.
  15. Dutton, Chris (22 September 2011). "Caps rocked by Cosier injury". The Canberra Times. Retrieved 9 January 2012.
  16. Tuxworth, Jon (9 October 2011). "Bulleen hands Caps another lesson". The Canberra Times. Archived from the original on 27 October 2011. Retrieved 9 January 2012.
  17. Page, Fleta (8 November 2012). "Dombkins determined to be a model basketballer". The Canberra Times. p. 23. Retrieved 10 November 2012.
  18. Tuxworth, Jon (25 January 2013). "Capitals up their intensity for rivalry round". northerndailyleader.com.au. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
  19. Nagy, Boti (23 July 2015). "Former Canberra Caps WNBL regular Mikaela Dombkins joins a Adelaide Lightning". adelaidenow.com.au. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
  20. "Mikaela Dombkins". Waratah League. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
  21. "Mikaela Dombkins". SEABL. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
  22. Callinan, Josh (17 March 2011). "THE DOMBKINS SISTERS HAVE PLAYED BASKETBALL SINCE THEY COULD WALK". Maitland Basketball. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
  23. "Falcons Sign Mikaela Dombkins". waverleybasketball.com. 19 April 2013. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
  24. "Mikaela Dombkins". australiabasket.com. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
  25. "BASKETBALL NSW COMPETITIONS, HIGH-PERFORMANCE & COMMUNITY PROGRAMS UPDATE". bnsw.com.au. 12 August 2021. Archived from the original on 12 September 2021.
  26. "Australia - 2005 FIBA Women's U19 World Championship". FIBA. Retrieved 10 November 2012.
  27. "Australia - 2007 FIBA Women's U21 World Championship". FIBA. Retrieved 10 November 2012.
  28. "SPIRIT EXPANDS ITS COACHING RANKS". wnbl.basketball/bendigo. 23 November 2021. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
  29. "Design Portfolio for Mikaela Dombkins - Fashion Designer". StyleApple. Archived from the original on 3 February 2016. Retrieved 10 November 2012.
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