Lauren Jackson loses 17kg before stunning comeback after Liz Cambage exit

Liz Cambage’s exit from the Opals has paved the way for a possible return to the floor for Aussie legend Lauren Jackson.

Could Lauren Jackson wear the green and gold again?

Australian basketball fans have been stunned by the news of Lauren Jackson’s comeback to the court, with suggestions she could even don the green and gold again in a World Cup.

The greatest basketballer Australia has ever produced, who retired because of injury before the Rio Olympics in 2016, is making her return for the Albury Wodonga Bandits in the country’s second-tier NBL1 competition.

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Megan Hustwaite broke the story for News Corp and on RSN radio on Wednesday morning, said 40-year-old Jackson “hasn’t closed the door on returning for the Opals 10 years after she carried the flag at the London Olympics”.

Hustwaite also revealed Jackson has lost a staggering 17kg as she prepares her body for hitting the hardwood again.

“It stems from a friend asking if she would consider playing again. She’s had awful troubles with her knees that led to her retirement before the Rio Olympics in 2016,” Hutswaite said.

“She’s spoken about the medicinal cannabis trial that she’s done and it’s had a huge positive effect on her body. She’s got in the gym and back on the court, she’s lost 17kg and she’s looking terrific and she’s feeling great.

“She’s been doing some intense training for about 13 weeks, six days a week, while working part-time for Basketball Australia and looking after her two babies.

“It got to this point where signed with Albury. She’s going to see how she goes because as she said, she hasn’t played for so long. She’s not looking ahead to Opals at this stage but she needs to see how she goes in NBL1.

“If anyone can do this, it’s Lauren. Whether it’s just for Albury Wodonga in the NBL1 or whether she continues her stunning comeback and plays for Australia again later this year (who knows).”

Lauren Jackson is one of a kind.

Could we see her back with the Opals? Photo: Romy Siegmann.

The Opals had a dismal Olympic campaign last year, knocked out in the quarter-finals after a tumultuous lead-in that saw Liz Cambage pull out before the tournament started.

The absence of Australia’s best player in Tokyo left a huge void on the court while the nature of her exit — she was investigated following allegations of verbal abuse and breaking Covid restrictions — also affected the team environment, with players and coach Sandy Brondello later revealing just how badly the Cambage drama hurt their team’s chances.

The FIBA women’s World Cup takes place in Sydney in September and the Opals will be desperate to put up better performances than what they showed in Japan.

Asked by RSN Breakfast co-host Daniel Harford if Jackson’s comeback would be on had Cambage not disappeared from the Opals scene, Hustwaite replied “No”.

“As she (Jackson) said in the story it’s hard to think ahead because she hasn’t been on court for eight years so Opals isn’t the number one thing at the front of the mind here,” Hustwaite said. “But I think probably watching the Opals at the Olympics maybe stoked the fire in her belly.

“She has been getting fit. She’s lost a lot of weight and is looking fantastic.”

The departure of Liz Cambage (right) from the Opals picture has paved the way for a possible Jackson return. Picture: Tim Carrafa

Jackson is a three-time WNBA MVP, four-time WNBL MVP, four-time Olympian, five-time WNBL champion and seven-time WNBA All-Star.

Albury Wodonga Bandits President Luke Smith is thrilled to see Jackson return to basketball.

“We’re just over the moon that Lauren’s playing for her hometown and her home club,” Smith said. “It’s huge for the Albury Wodonga Bandits and for the Albury Wodonga community.

“I think it’s going to be a really big year and we’re really looking forward to her playing in a stadium named after herself and in front of her friends, family and her two boys.

“They’re at the age where they’ll be able to remember seeing their mum play, not only basketball, but basketball at home too.”

“Our young players are going to have a massive opportunity to play and train with arguably the world’s best ever female basketball player. It’s huge for them, it’s huge for every kid and it’s huge for every basketball player in Albury Wodonga.”