The most accomplished basketball player in Australia will be competing for a roster slot as the Opals get ready to host the 2019 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup. The three-time WNBA MVP and Basketball Hall of Famer Lauren Jackson was declared to have ended her international retirement on Tuesday.
The Why
Prior to the competition, which runs from September 22 to October 1 in Sydney, Australia, Lauren Jackson has formally ended her international retirement in order to join the Opals.
More Left in the Tank
A Hall of Famer coming out of retirement is uncommon, but the 41-year-old Jackson, who was inducted in 2021, has been preparing for this occasion for some time. Jackson returned to the court this past April when she joined the Albury Wodonga Bandits in the NBL 1 East after a string of ailments forced her to retire from professional basketball in March 2016.
Jackson acknowledged that she is concerned about how her body will react to the increase in training since she hasn’t competed at this level since 2016. However, given that injuries ended her career, this opportunity to represent the Opals gives Jackson a chance to define the latter stages of her career on her own terms.
