The AIS continues its proud history of uncovering the next generation of stars with the exciting Carley Mijovic named the 2012 Betty Watson Women’s National Basketball League Rookie of the Year at the Basketball
Australia iiNet MVP at Crown Palladium in Melbourne.

The Dandenong native becomes the 15th AIS player to win the award, joining a long and star-studded list of past winners including Jayco Opals Lauren Jackson and Kath MacLeod.

The 17-year-old said she is eager to emulate the achievements of her predecessors, hoping to become a star in the WNBL.

'To get to that level is my dream,'Mijovic said.

'Lauren Jackson’s amazing and I really look up to her, and hopefully I can follow in her footsteps and go to the Olympics and represent my country.'

'It hasn’t been an easy road for the 196cm centre, with two bouts of knee surgery effectively ending her 2010/11 season, but she never let the time off the court take away from the team focus at the AIS.

'It was knee surgery and hoping the meniscus was going to repair, but it tore again and I had to have a second surgery, it’s always hard sitting there and watching,” she said.

'But they’re my teammates and at the AIS they’re like your sisters, so you cheer them on and want them to do well.'