Lauren Jackson was yesterday named on her fifth FIBA World Cup roster for Australia in her comeback to international basketball, in a selection that was somewhat expected.
Not so expected were the tears that came when the 41-year-old Jackson was officially informed of her place in the 12-player squad by head coach Sandy Brondello. It came 10 months after a comeback to the sport and as a mother of two boys.
“There were a lot of emotions when Sandy rang me, I had a bit of a cry to be honest,” Jackson said. “I have been working my body hard, and I didn’t honestly know if it was going to hold up to my intense training regime. But it has and I’m feeling good.”
Photo: AFP
Jackson reiterated the emotional effect of her comeback at a later news conference.
“Just wearing the green and gold again means so much to me,” she said. “I was so far removed from this level of basketball for so long. I never thought I would get back here.”
“It is starting to sink in ... I’m a mom now, I work, I have a completely different perspective than I did as a professional athlete 10 years ago,” she added.
Jackson will be joined by other Opals with international experience. Bec Allen (New York Liberty), Ezi Magbegor (Seattle Storm), Sami Whitcomb (Liberty), Kristy Wallace (Atlanta Dream) and Steph Talbot (Seattle) are all playing in the WNBA.
The Opals are aiming to add to their stellar past World Cup performances, having won silver in 2018, bronze in 2014 and gold in 2006.
The third-ranked Australians have been drawn in Group C, with pool matches against France, Serbia, Japan, Mali and Canada in the tournament scheduled for Sept. 22 to Oct. 1 in Sydney.
Brondello would lead the Opals for the second time as head coach after guiding the team to its silver in 2018.
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