Opals legend Lauren Jackson makes call on Olympic comeback - at least 'for now'

The five-time WNBL champion was selected in the Opals squad for next month's Olympic qualifying tournament in Brazil, and though Jackson is excited to help Australia reach the Paris Games starting in July, she has put a line through going any further in green and gold.

"It's hard to sit here and be like, no, I'm not doing it because of how everything has played out in the last few years," Jackson told The Canberra Times.

"But right now it's a firm no way. I want to get back in [the Opals at the qualifiers] and then probably announce my retirement.

"I'm doing this because I want these girls to be at the Olympics and I know I can help them right now, but my children are my world, and especially as they're getting older I can't keep leaving them."

Jackson has two sons, and along with juggling her WNBL commitment with the Southside Flyers, she also works at Basketball Australia and with the She Hoops basketball program for women.

Jackson revealed that prior to her most recent Opals selection she had actually told her family and agent she was planning to retire from international basketball again. Then a phone call from Opals selectors convinced her to stay on for the Olympic qualifiers.

Though Jackson endured a "brutal" injury stretch since her 2022 WNBL comeback with a broken foot, arthritis, and a torn right Achilles that meant she couldn't walk or sleep properly after games, she's now returned to full health and is performing on the court too.

She put up 20 points in her 200th WNBL game on Sunday in Southside's win over the Melbourne Boomers, backing up her season-high 28 against the Sydney Flames last week.

However Jackson said her family responsibilities have made continuing international basketball beyond the Olympic qualification campaign more difficult.

"My youngest son left to go home with my parents this week because he's not coming on the road with us and I cried my eyes out," she said.

"I'm so thankful I've had these opportunities and that I'm playing well again.

"Physically I feel pretty good compared to how I've been the last two years, so I know I'm definitely good enough to be there. But I've done everything I've needed to do in the sport.

"My whole career has been about the Opals, but it's getting a bit hard on the kids and it's a massive burden on my parents too."

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The two-time WNBA champion hasn't yet decided what her basketball career will look like at the end of this WNBL season and when she does retire from the Opals.

But she is set to continue her move to basketball administration and is hopeful to keep playing NBL1 in Albury, and possibly WNBL if she can maintain a healthy life balance.

"If I'm still good enough to play, then obviously I want to do it," she said. "If I can have fun and enjoy basketball with my family with me, then absolutely, but if not, it's another story."