Natalie Burton

Natalie Burton
Burton with the Australian Opals in July 2016
Personal information
Born (1989-03-23) 23 March 1989 (age 35)
Perth, Western Australia, Australia
NationalityAustralian / British
Listed height194 cm (6 ft 4 in)
Career information
High schoolCarine Senior
(Perth, Western Australia)
CollegeWest Virginia (2008–2012)
WNBA draft2012: undrafted
Playing career2006–present
PositionPower forward / center
Coaching career2021–present
Career history
As player:
2006–2008Perry Lakes Hawks
2012–2013Perry Lakes Hawks
2012–2014West Coast Waves
2014BA Centre of Excellence
2014–2015Melbourne Boomers
2015–2018Perth Lynx
2017–2021Perry Lakes Hawks
2018–2019Herner TC
2019Union Saint-Amand Porte du Hainaut
2020Sydney Uni Flames
2022–2024Warwick Senators
2023Mainland Pouakai
As coach:
2021–2024Perth Lynx (assistant)
Career highlights and awards
Medals
Representing  Australia
FIBA World Championship
Bronze medal – third place 2014 Turkey
Summer Universiade
Bronze medal – third place 2013 Kazan Team

Natalie Burton (born 23 March 1989) is an Australian basketball player and coach. She played college basketball in the United States for the West Virginia Mountaineers before beginning her career in the Women's National Basketball League (WNBL) in 2012. She played seven seasons in the WNBL and played in Germany and France in 2018 and 2019. In the NBL1 West, Burton has played for the Perry Lakes Hawks and Warwick Senators. She is a four-time NBL1 West champion, three with the Hawks (2007, 2008, 2017) and one with the Senators (2022). She helped the Senators win the NBL1 National championship in 2022 as well. She served as an assistant coach with the Perth Lynx in the WNBL between 2021 and 2024.

Burton played for the Australian national team, the Opals, between 2013 and 2016. She was an Olympian with the Opals at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio. She holds dual Australian and British nationality.

Early life and career

Burton was born in Perth, Western Australia, in the suburb of Stirling.[1] She attended Carine Senior High School.[2]

Burton played in the State Basketball League (SBL) for the Perry Lakes Hawks in 2006, 2007 and 2008.[3] In the 2008 season, she was named the SBL Most Improved Player.[4] The Hawks won SBL championships in 2007 and 2008.[5][6]

College career

Between 2008 and 2012, Burton played college basketball in the United States for the West Virginia Mountaineers. She averaged 2.8 points and 2.6 rebounds in 119 games, with her 52.8 career field goal percentage ranking her as the second best in West Virginia history. She graduated in May 2012 with a degree in finance.[7][8]

West Virginia statistics

Source[9]

Ratios
YEAR Team GP FG% 3P% FT% RBG APG BPG SPG PPG
2008-09 West Virginia 33 50.4% - 29.5% 4.94 0.33 0.46 0.58 4.79
2009-10 West Virginia 35 53.3% - 48.1% 2.17 0.14 0.40 0.26 2.66
2010-11 West Virginia 28 60.5% - 23.1% 1.32 0.14 0.18 0.46 1.96
2011-12 West Virginia 23 51.7% - 37.5% 1.22 0.22 0.52 0.17 1.44
Career 119 52.8% - 33.9% 2.55 0.21 0.39 0.38 2.85
Totals
YEAR Team GP FG FGA 3P 3PA FT FTA REB A BK ST PTS
2008-09 West Virginia 33 70 139 0 0 18 61 163 11 15 19 158
2009-10 West Virginia 35 40 75 0 0 13 27 76 5 14 9 93
2010-11 West Virginia 28 26 43 0 0 3 13 37 4 5 13 55
2011-12 West Virginia 23 15 29 0 0 3 8 28 5 12 4 33
Career 119 151 286 0 0 37 109 304 25 46 45 339

Professional career

WNBL and Europe

Burton debuted in the Women's National Basketball League (WNBL) with the West Coast Waves in the 2012–13 season. She averaged 8.1 points and 5.4 rebounds in 24 games in her rookie season and then averaged 6.8 points and 4.7 rebounds in 17 games with the Waves in the 2013–14 season.[10]

In April 2014, Burton signed with the Melbourne Boomers for the 2014–15 WNBL season.[11] In 22 games, she averaged 7.0 points and 5.1 rebounds per game.[12]

On 17 April 2015, Burton signed with the Perth Lynx for the 2015–16 WNBL season.[13][14] She helped the Lynx reach the WNBL Grand Final,[15] where they lost 2–0 to the Townsville Fire.[16][17] In 27 games, she averaged 6.0 points and 5.1 rebounds per game.[12]

On 27 May 2016, Burton re-signed with the Lynx for the 2016–17 WNBL season.[18] On 25 November 2016, she played her 100th WNBL game.[19]

On 31 August 2017, Burton re-signed with the Lynx for the 2017–18 WNBL season.[20]

In January 2018, Burton joined German team Herner TC for the rest of the 2017–18 DBBL season. She returned to Herner TC for the 2018–19 season and helped the team win the DBBL championship and DBBL Cup.[3]

Burton joined Union Saint-Amand Porte du Hainaut of the French LFB for the 2019–20 season, but left the team in December 2019 after appearing in nine games.[3]

Burton joined the Sydney Uni Flames for the 2020 WNBL Hub season in Queensland.[21][22]

Australian state leagues and New Zealand

Burton with the Senators during the 2022 NBL1 West Grand Final

Burton returned to the Perry Lakes Hawks for a five-game stint during the 2012 State Basketball League season. She played 15 games for the Hawks in the 2013 season.[23]

In 2014, Burton played nine games for the BA Centre of Excellence in the South East Australian Basketball League.[24]

Burton's next stint with the Hawks came in the 2017 season,[23] where she helped the team win the SBL championship.[25] She continued with the Hawks in the SBL in 2018 and 2019, and then played for the Hawks in the West Coast Classic in 2020.[23] She played for the Hawks in the inaugural season of the NBL1 West in 2021.[3]

Burton joined the Warwick Senators for the 2022 NBL1 West season.[26] She helped the team win the NBL1 West championship,[27][28] and at the NBL1 National Finals, the Senators went undefeated and won the NBL National championship.[29]

Burton returned to the Senators for the 2023 NBL1 West season[30] and played her 200th SBL/NBL1 game in June 2023.[31] Following the NBL1 West season, she had a three-game stint with the Mainland Pouakai of the Tauihi Basketball Aotearoa in New Zealand.[3][32] She returned to the Senators for the 2024 NBL1 West season.[33][34]

National team career

Burton represented Australia at the 2013 World University Games in Russia, where they lost to Team USA in the semi-finals.[35][36] Burton scored four points in the semi-final.[37] Australia went on to win the bronze medal game.[38]

Burton debuted for the Australian Opals at the 2013 FIBA Oceania Championship.[39] In 2014, she helped the Opals win bronze at the FIBA World Championship.[40] She played for the Opals at the 2015 FIBA Oceania Championship and then became an Olympian with the Opals at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio.[39] The Opals were knocked out in the quarter-finals at the Rio Olympics, which led to Burton never being invited back to a training camp with the team.[41]

Coaching career

In September 2021, Burton was appointed assistant coach of the Perth Lynx for the 2021–22 WNBL season.[42] She continued as assistant in 2022–23[43][44] and 2023–24.[45][46]

Personal life

Burton is the daughter of Cliff and Rosemary Burton.[7] Her younger sister, Emily, also played basketball[47] and was a member of the Hawks' 2017 championship team.[48]

Burton holds dual Australian and British nationality.[39]

References

  1. ^ "Natalie Burton". fiba.com. Archived from the original on 22 September 2021. Retrieved 19 November 2024.
  2. ^ "2011-12 WVU Women's Basketball Guide". issuu.com. WVU Sports. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d e "Natalie Burton". australiabasket.com. Retrieved 19 August 2021.
  4. ^ "AWARDS HISTORY". SBL.asn.au. Retrieved 25 October 2017.
  5. ^ "2007 SBL season". SBL.asn.au. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  6. ^ "2008 SBL season". SBL.asn.au. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  7. ^ a b "Natalie Burton". wvusports.com. Archived from the original on 8 October 2014. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  8. ^ "WVUSports – Natalie Burton". WVUSports.com. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
  9. ^ "NCAA Statistics". web1.ncaa.org. Retrieved 27 June 2021.
  10. ^ "Player statistics for Natalie Burton – WNBL". SportingPulse. Archived from the original on 21 April 2015. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  11. ^ Ward, Roy (9 April 2014). "Melbourne Boomers sign Opal centre Natalie Burton". SMH.com.au. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
  12. ^ a b "Natalie Burton - WNBL Player Statistics". GameDay. Archived from the original on 27 June 2021. Retrieved 27 June 2021.
  13. ^ "Chairman Jack Bendat welcomes Perth Lynx first signing". Archived from the original on 5 April 2016. Retrieved 6 August 2015.
  14. ^ Luna, Russell (15 September 2015). "Burton Credits WVU for Professional Success". Retrieved 16 September 2015.
  15. ^ "LYNX SMASH FIRE, QUALIFY FOR GRAND FINAL". PerthLynx.com. 28 February 2016. Archived from the original on 28 February 2016. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
  16. ^ "LYNX DEFEATED BY TOWNSVILLE IN GRAND FINAL GAME 1". PerthLynx.com. 12 March 2016. Archived from the original on 17 April 2016. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
  17. ^ "Perth Lynx defeated in WNBL Grand Final". PerthLynx.com. 18 March 2016. Archived from the original on 13 August 2016. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
  18. ^ "NATALIE BURTON RE-SIGNS". Archived from the original on 9 June 2016. Retrieved 27 May 2016.
  19. ^ "NATALIE BURTON - 100 WNBL GAMES". PerthLynx.com. 25 November 2016. Archived from the original on 26 November 2016. Retrieved 25 November 2016.
  20. ^ Sod (31 August 2017). "NATALIE BURTON RETURNS TO HOMETOWN LYNX". WNBL. Archived from the original on 13 April 2020.
  21. ^ "Australian Opal Natalie Burton returns home to join the Flames - Sydney Flames". Sydney Flames. 30 July 2020. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  22. ^ "WNBL Player Spotlight - Sydney Uni Flames - Natalie Burton". Basketball Rookie Me Central. 29 October 2020. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  23. ^ a b c "Natalie Burton - SBL Player Statistics". GameDay. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  24. ^ "Natalie Burton - SEABL Player Statistics". GameDay. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  25. ^ "FARNWORTH INSPIRES PERRY LAKES TO SEVENTH WOMEN'S SBL CHAMPIONSHIP". SBL.asn.au. 1 September 2017. Retrieved 13 September 2017.
  26. ^ "NBL1 Player Announcement". facebook.com/WarwickSenatorsCCSRA. 21 December 2021. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
  27. ^ "WARWICK SENATORS CROWNED NBL1 WEST CHAMPIONS". nbl1.com.au. 2 September 2022. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
  28. ^ "NBL1 West Recap | Women's Grand Final". nbl1.com.au. 2 September 2022. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
  29. ^ "NBL1 National Finals Recap | Women's Championship Game". nbl1.com.au. 11 September 2022. Retrieved 11 September 2022.
  30. ^ "She's played for Australia, assisted in coaching the @perthlynx and now she's back on the Senators NBL1 women's roster for 2023!". facebook.com/WarwickSenatorsCCSRA. 31 January 2023. Retrieved 22 May 2023.
  31. ^ Pike, Chris (10 June 2023). "All-time WA great reaches 200-game milestone". nbl1.com.au. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
  32. ^ Hodge, Kayla (25 August 2023). "Hoiho hold off late charge". Otago Daily Times Online News. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  33. ^ "Natalie Burton Returns For 2024". facebook.com/WarwickSenatorsCCSRA. 23 December 2023. Retrieved 23 December 2023.
  34. ^ "Lynx coaching pair turn focus to Senators' NBL1 season". NBL1.com.au. 28 March 2024. Archived from the original on 28 March 2024.
  35. ^ "Burton". www.fisu.net. Archived from the original on 7 November 2015. Retrieved 16 September 2015.
  36. ^ "USA Women's World University Games Team Survives Australian Comeback, Advances To Finals With Thrilling 79-78 Win". USA Basketball. 13 July 2013. Archived from the original on 6 September 2015. Retrieved 16 September 2015.
  37. ^ "Official Results". universiade2013.sportresult.com. Retrieved 16 September 2015.
  38. ^ "Official results". universiade2013.sportresult.com. Retrieved 16 September 2015.
  39. ^ a b c "Natalie Burton". fiba.basketball. 17 November 2024. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  40. ^ "Opals crush Turkey to win world championship bronze". www.abc.net.au. 5 October 2014. Retrieved 27 June 2021.
  41. ^ "We've done a terrible job of preparing Olympians for failure". The Nightly. 6 August 2024. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  42. ^ "AUSTRALIAN OPAL NATALIE BURTON JOINS PERTH LYNX AS ASSISTANT COACH". wnbl.basketball. 17 September 2021. Retrieved 17 September 2021.
  43. ^ "Perth Lynx vs Southside Flyers". wnbl.basketball. 8 December 2022. Archived from the original on 30 December 2022. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
  44. ^ "Coaches". wnbl.basketball/perth. Archived from the original on 8 June 2023.
  45. ^ "BURTON ESPECIALLY EXCITED BY LYNX'S DEFENSIVE GROWTH". wnbl.basketball. 10 November 2023. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
  46. ^ "PROUD BURTON FOCUSED ON LYNX'S JOB AT HAND". wnbl.basketball. 9 March 2024. Retrieved 10 March 2024.
  47. ^ "Coaches look ahead to Week 2 of the SBL - WA State Basketball League". GameDay. Retrieved 27 June 2021.
  48. ^ "Hawks vs Magic". fibalivestats. 1 September 2017. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Natalie Burton.