Legendary Senator Nicole Jorre St Jorre retires

Western Australian basketball legend Nicole Jorre St Jorre has retired.

The 42-year-old Warwick Senators guard's career ends with 479 games in the SBL and NBL1 West.

Jorre St Jorre was a Senators junior bookending her stellar playing career with the 2022 NBL1 West championship and National Championship.

Before playing her 450th game last season, it was a time for Jorre St Jorre to reflect.

"I guess it seems like I’m old when you think about it, but it has been a very long journey that’s for sure," Jorre de St Jorre said.

"It’s exciting but especially coming off those wins last year with the National Championship and the finals here, I feel like I’ve still got a lot to give and keep teaching a lot to the young kids.

"I’m grateful that I can still be around to encourage them and teach them a bit. So I guess I look at it that way really."

She was also circumspect when it came to finally hanging up her sneakers.

"It’s not that it’s too hard to walk away because I could find so many other things to be doing with my weekends than playing basketball," she said.

"But the girls encourage you still be around so it’s not like I’m forcing myself on them, and I feel like we have such a good connection.

We hang out quite a bit and we’re best mates, and then with some of the younger girls, they absorb anything that you teach them or show them.

"In the end, it could be a coaching role that I go into but at the same time I’m just enjoying being around them and being able to show them in a way how they can better, or helping them in any way I can."

Jorre de St Jorre started her career with the Swan City Mustangs in the SBL in 1999 before joining the Senators in f 2002.

She would return to the league for the Joondalup Wolves in 2006 and joined the Eagles in 2010. Jorre de St Jorre spent the next eight years with East Perth including a Grand Final appearance in 2011. She rejoined the Senators in 2019 to finish her career.

"The good thing was that I had a lot of friends who had played at East Perth which was the initial reason I went there, and I wanted to have more fun with the girls that I hung around with to start with," Jorre de St Jorre said.

"But there were a few very long, long seasons there at East Perth when we were losing that many games in the end of my time there so it did become pretty hard.

"I know we got into a Grand Final that one year, but there were more tough years than good ones.

"So when Emma Berryman asked me to come to Warwick, I just thought that I had to do it and that it would be the best thing for me.

"I thought it was also an opportunity to finish at somewhere that I came to when I was playing under-14s after crossing from Swan Districts.

"So it was a very easy transition because I had that connection to the club already and had people there I wanted to play with, and finish my career with."

In a career spanning 469 games, basketball has been part of Jorre St Jorre's life for more than three decades.

“I think you do take the chance to reflect and I have a lot of my friends who have been around who I’ve played with along the way. So it’s nice when you have a milestone (450 games) like this and they can all come down, and watch you play and be there for it,” Jorre de St Jorre added.

"It’s always nice to see faces of people you’ve played with over the years who have retired now so that gives you that reminder of things that have happened along the way.

"I always like to reflect no matter what and I think it’s always nice to remember the things you’ve been through especially some of those tough times at East Perth when we wouldn’t win any games.

"Then you appreciate where we are now coming off those championships and we’re still around the mark this year not even halfway through the season.

"So I remember those years of not winning a game so it helps you appreciate the position you’re in now so I do look back at things and realise that 450 games is a long time."

Read Chris Pike's full story here

Warwick's women’s head coach, Brad Robbins, explained how much she means to the club in the retirement announcement.

“Nic’s remarkable career is a true testament to her dedication to the game, her club, and her teammates,” he said.

“In the short time I coached Nic, she was often the calm in the storm, and her unwavering support for others has left a lasting mark on this team.”

— Additional reporting Chris Pike, NBL.com.au