Ezi Magbegor on filling Lauren Jackson’s ‘void’, ‘crazy’ future with the Opals

Ezi Magbegor is seen as the next big thing in Australian women’s basketball, but she isn’t feeling pressure to fill Lauren Jackson’s shoes.

Ezi Magbegor is seen as the long term successor to Lauren Jackson.

Ezi Magbegor might well be the next big thing in Australian basketball, but she isn’t too worried about the pressure that comes with becoming the next Lauren Jackson.

Magbegor’s career has been on a steady rise since she played her first game for the Opals at the 2018 Commonwealth Games and she has gone from strength to strength playing both for her club and country since then.

The 193cm centre is only 23 years old but has already won titles with Jackson’s former WNBA team the Seattle Storm and the Melbourne Boomers in the WNBL.

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After the Opals claimed a resurgent bronze medal at the FIBA World Cup, Magbegor took only a week off before flying to Hungary to play for Sopron in the Euroleague.

“I think I’m just kind of ready to get into it,” Magbegor told news.com.au.

“Obviously the WNBA and World Cup were back to back. A week doesn’t seem like a long time but I had a week to rest and recover and just mentally get a refresh. I’m excited to head over.”

Magbegor didn’t quite have the breakout World Cup many had expected but she exploded in Australia’s group stage game against Canada.

A dominant second quarter on both the offensive and defensive ends turned the tide for the Opals, who won arguably the game of the tournament to get their quest for a medal back on track.

Ezi Magbegor is the next big thing in Australian women’s basketball. (Photo by Andy Cheung / AFP)

After the disappointment of the Tokyo Olympics, where the Opals were knocked out in the quarterfinals, Magbegor said getting a medal at an international tournament was just what the Aussies needed.

“Just to be able to get a medal at the end of it was definitely a goal of ours and it was nice to come home with something,” she said.

“Whether it was said or not, it was definitely important for us to win a medal and get back to where we know we can be.

“Tokyo wasn’t our standard of basketball. We just wanted to get back on the podium and we were able to do that winning bronze. It just sets us up well.

“There’s obviously still a lot of hard work to go into it, but it’s giving us confidence for the Olympics in a couple of years.”

Jackson came out retirement for the World Cup and was in vintage form, steering the Opals to a medal in her last ever game for Australia.

“No matter what her role, whether she was on the bench or on the court, you kind of just knew she was going to dominate,” Magbegor said of the GOAT of Australian basketball.

“Just her being on our team was a lot. We know what she’s done, the career that she’s had, so I think it just brought a lot to the group.”

With Jackson now retired for good and Liz Cambage out of the picture, Magbegor is the heir apparent to take the mantle as the focal of point of the Opals.

Asked if she feels any pressure to fill Jackson’s shoes, Magbegor said: “No, I don’t feel that way.

“Obviously it was great she could come back and play with the team but I don’t feel like there’s pressure on one person to fill that void.”

Ezi Magbegor is seen as the long term successor to Lauren Jackson.

Magbegor is poised to lead the next generation of Opals through the next decade, including at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where getting back on the podium will be front of mind.

“It’s crazy to think I’m going to be turning 25 at the next Olympics. Obviously I hope to make that team,” she said.

“With age comes a bigger role and I think continuing on the trajectory that I’m on and improving and doing what I can to help my team no matter what team I’m on is something I’ll be looking to do.”

Magbegor’s basketball schedule is jam-packed these days and by playing in the best leagues in Europe and America, she’s intent on “taking it step by step” and developing her game.

“It’s just exciting,” Magbegor said of her career.

“At the start of my career I knew I wanted to play in the WNBL, be drafted in the WNBA. And playing in Europe was definitely something I had been hoping to do.

“Obviously after winning the championship with the (WNBL’s Melbourne) Boomers, now was the perfect time than ever. I know it’s going to be great for my game personally but also to get that experience as well in Europe.”

Ezi Magbegor’s career is going from strength to strength. (Photo by Andy Cheung / AFP)

“I think the main thing is to keep getting better. I think I still have a long way to go. That’s exciting to me. So just putting myself in the best position and situations to better my game is something is probably the main focus right now.”

Magbegor is nominated in the ‘One to Watch’ category at the Women’s Health Women in Sports awards to be held in Sydney on Sunday.

The event, hosted by Fox Sports’ Sarah Jones, Bianca Chatfield and Lara Pitt, will be exclusively broadcast live and ad-free on Fox Sports, available to watch on Foxtel and stream on Kayo Sports via Kayo Freebies.

The 2022 award categories include: Local Sporting Champion, Leadership Legend, Outstanding Woman in Sport, Person of Sporting Influence, One to Watch, Champion Team, Standout Moment, Young Achiever, Women’s Health Athlete 2022 and Hall of Fame Induction.

The Women in Sport Awards begins at 7.30pm AEDT on Sunday on Fox Sports Channel 505, directly following New Zealand taking on Australia in Game 2 of the Constellation Cup.