Tracy York is back in Malaysia.
The Australian coaching veteran — who led Malaysia’s women to a bronze medal at the last SEA Games and once worked on the Utah Jazz’s NBA Summer League staff — has returned, this time in a different role.
She’s not the head coach. She’s the mentor.
York, the only Australian woman with NBA coaching experience, brings more than 30 years on the sideline. She’s lending her eye and voice to Malaysia’s U16 women’s national team as they gear up for the FIBA U16 Women’s Asia Cup (Division B), tipping off Sept. 13 in Seremban.
“Mulan and Zati reached out. I’ve kept in touch with them, and when my contract finished I thought, why not come and help?” York said, referring to head coach “Mulan” Pang Hui Pin and assistant coach Izzati.
Her role is less about drawing up plays, more about perspective. “It’s not me telling them what to do,” she explained. “It’s about what I see, what I think might help. They’re very open to suggestions.”
York linked up with the squad just over a week ago in Taiwan during a set of tune-up games. The early read?
“They’re young, they’re energetic. We just need to control the ball and the way we play. Each day they’re learning, and that’s what matters going into a tough competition.”
The experienced Australian coach knows what international basketball demands. And she wants these teenagers to feel that weight.
“They often say ‘3-2-1 Malaysia fight,’” York said. “When you put on that jersey, fight for every ball, every rebound. Not everything will go your way, but if you fight, you get stronger mentally and physically.”
York’s impact in Malaysia is already well-documented. Last December she helped Selangor EST storm through the second half of the MBL season, stunning favorites to lift the title. Now, she’s chasing a different kind of victory — building belief in the next generation.
Malaysia’s U16s open Division B play Saturday night against Tonga inside the newly built Karisma Arena, a 3,000-seat venue hosting its first continental tournament.
And for York, the scoreboard won’t tell the whole story — the true win will be the resilience and confidence these girls carry long after the final buzzer.
