Basketball legend Lauren Jackson will prepare for her fifth World Cup after a 12-year absence, making her return to the national team. The 41-year-old has been named in a 12-man Opals squad for the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup which kicks off in Sydney on September 22.
Retiring from international basketball nine years ago, Jackson’s last World Cup appearance was in 2010. The four-time Olympic medalist and three-time WNBA MVP had a dominant and decorated career spanning two decades the world until she was forced to retire in March 2016. due to a persistent knee injury.
Jackson moved into basketball administration after her playing career, working for WNBL club Melbourne Boomers before moving to Basketball Australia to lead the league and oversee women’s hoops in the country. But after starring for Albury-Wondonga in the recent NBL1 season, Jackson earned a call-up to an Australian national team camp in June before impressing at the Opals’ practice games in New York last month.
“Congratulations Lauren Jackson, you’re going to another World Cup,” Opals coach Sandy Brondello announced via video call. “You should be incredibly proud, Lauren, and I am incredibly proud because what you’ve done to achieve this is truly incredible. It shows a lot about you as a person and your hard work and dedication.”
Jackson cried when Brondello told him about his selection. “There was a lot of emotion when Sandy called me, I cried a little bit to be honest,” Jackson said. “I’ve been working my body hard, and I honestly didn’t know if it would hold up to my intense training regimen, but it has and I feel good.”
After his retirement, Jackson revealed that he experienced “the works” as he weaned himself off the prescription drugs he had relied on during his playing career. In a 2018 Fox Sports documentary, the daughter of two national basketball players also spoke about struggling with the lack of support from the basketball fraternity during retirement.
But Jackson also revealed he had started training again in his hometown, hoping to prepare for local side Albury-Wodonga Bandits. Four years later, and 27 years since he first made the Opals squad as a 14-year-old, he’s back in green and gold.
Brondello, herself a four-time World Cup athlete, said Jackson deserved her spot. “Making the final cut to twelve is always difficult with so many great athletes pushing for selection,” said Brondello. “The training camp in New York showed how much each of these athletes wanted to compete at home, the competition for a spot on the team was fierce.
“Of course Lauren’s inclusion is the topic of conversation, but from my perspective, she’s worked hard and deserves to be here, she’ll add another dimension to our team dynamic.”
The Australians are looking to improve on the silver medal they won in 2018 in Spain under current coach Sandy Brondello. The Opals are ranked third in the world and have been drawn in Group C, with group matches against France, Serbia, Japan, Mali and Canada.
Underscoring the experience in the squad, Bec Allen and Cayla George will return for their third tournament and Marianna Tolo, Steph Talbot, Sami Whitcomb, Tess Madgen and Ezi Magbegor are playing in their second World Cup. Sara Blicavs, Darcee Garbin, Anneli Maley and Kristy Wallace will debut.
There are five current WNBA players, including Allen (New York Liberty), Magbegor (Seattle Storm), Whitcomb (New York Liberty), Wallace (Atlanta Dream) and Talbot (Seattle Storm).
Missing is former champion Liz Cambage, who was controversially withdrawn from last year’s Tokyo Olympics team under a cloud over allegations she made racist comments to rival Nigerian players. Cambage, 30, parted ways with WNBA franchise Los Angeles Sparks last month after just 25 games, a “divorce by contract” that also keeps the four-time All Star center from playing again in Australia
The World Cup will start on September 22 in Sydney.
Australian Opals 2022 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup Squad: Bec Allen, Sara Blicavs, Darcee Garbin, Cayla George, Lauren Jackson, Ezi Magbegor, Tess Madgen, Anneli Maley, Steph Talbot, Marianna Tolo, Kristy Wallace, Sami Whitcomb.