CANBERRA, June 22 (Xinhua) -- Australian basketball legend Lauren Jackson has announced she will come out of her nine-year international retirement for September's home World Cup.
Jackson, 41, on Tuesday evening confirmed her comeback, 25 years after she first played for the Australian women's national team, the Opals.
Widely regarded as Australia's greatest-ever basketballer, Jackson won the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) Most Valuable Player (MVP) award three times in a 12-year career with the Seattle Storm that included championships in 2004 and 2010.
She announced her international retirement in 2016 - three years after last playing for the Opals - due to recurring injuries, ending an international career that featured four Olympic and three World Championship medals, including gold in 2006.
In February Jackson returned to competitive basketball in her hometown of Albury Wodonga where she is averaging a league-high 32.6 points and 11.6 rebounds per game.
"I never expected to get to this point so every day I get past here is a blessing and I truly feel like one of the luckiest people in the world to be getting another shot after the way my career ended," she told News Corp Australia on Tuesday.
"There's a little bit of apprehension. I'm definitely a little bit scared and excited but who knows what will happen with my body."
The number three-ranked Opals are hopeful of winning a medal at the World Cup, which starts in Sydney on September 22.
Jackson, who plays power forward or center, said she believes she could play a significant role in the campaign.
"With my size, height and experience in the game I think what I can bring to the team is invaluable in terms of leadership," she said.
"Once I step foot on a basketball court I'm pretty confident, it just comes naturally and has always just been part of who I am. I know I can bring that confidence to the girls, I can help them and that's where I think I can be helpful." ■
