‘Breaks my heart’: Lauren Jackson wants support for kids’ travel to Paris in shock Olympic bid

Australia’s greatest basketballer Lauren Jackson has revealed she will seriously consider emerging from retirement to play at the Paris Olympics, provided Basketball Australia delivers financial and practical support to allow her to travel with her two young children.

Jackson, 42, retired from international basketball for a third time last month, having dealt with “horrible” anxiety before and during the Olympic qualifiers in Brazil at being separated from her two “angels”, Harry, 7, and Lenny, 5.

Family ties: Lauren Jackson says she needs her two boys, including Lenny, by her side through the Olympic build-up and in Paris.Credit: Getty Images

The Opals great surprised BA and teammates when she declared “I’m done” after the team had qualified, but revealed to this masthead on Friday that a fifth Olympic campaign – 12 years after her fourth – was still a distinct possibility if certain conditions were met.

“It’s on Basketball Australia. I have said to them I can’t even consider it [Paris] unless I have support for my kids. I can’t do it without them, and I am a single mum. It’s too hard for me to leave them with my parents all the time. And I can’t do it, either,” Jackson said.

“It breaks my heart every time I leave them. I am not a crier, but people have seen me very emotional these last few months because I have had to leave them. I probably need them more than they need me, but I can’t keep doing that.”

The package Jackson is after will likely include a carer.

Jackson is also after assistance through the Opals’ build up to Paris, including warm-up games.

BA’s collective bargaining agreement covers financial help for international players with children aged five and under, but a BA spokeswoman said the governing body was in negotiations with Jackson.

“We have a number of players who travel with their kids. Looking after player families is a priority,” the spokeswoman said. BA did not wish to speculate on what the cost could be.

The preliminary squads for the Opals and men’s Boomers program will be announced later this month.

Chasing another ring: Lauren Jackson has been instrumental in Southside’s charge towards another WNBL grand final series.Credit: Getty Images

After an extensive lower-body massage amid an intense training session on Friday with the Southside Flyers, ahead of Sunday’s first game of the Women’s National Basketball League grand final series against Perth at Melbourne Sports Centre in Parkville, Jackson opened up about the pain she felt when saying goodbye to her sons before leaving for Brazil. Her family is based in Albury.

“It was horrible. The day I dropped them off – we had played Perth right before I left – I dropped them off in Albury the day before, and I didn’t stop crying for 48 hours,” Jackson said.

“Chez [assistant coach Cheryl Chambers] even asked me at one point if I was going to get on the plane. I had so much anxiety, in just leaving them. It was really horrible. That was really, really tough for me. That was sort of, that has been the big part for me, just not having my kids with me.”

Jackson’s size, nous, low-post game and ability to knock down the three still makes the four-time WNBL most valuable player, and three-time WNBA MVP, an important cog in Sandy Brondello’s Olympic plans, with the No.3 world-ranked Opals desperate to atone for the drama of Tokyo and push for gold.

Jackson said Flyers owner, multimillionaire businessman Gerry Ryan, had been “remarkable” in helping her and her family, even allowing the player dubbed the GOAT to skip a late December game in Perth – and potential flight delays – to ensure she was at home with her children for Christmas.

“On International Women’s Day, talking about it [single-parent sports stars], it is a real barrier for women. When they are the main caregiver for the kids and stuff, if you can’t have your children with you, it’s hard, you can’t get it done,” Jackson said.

“Gerry has been incredible this year for me. My kids come with me everywhere. He has been remarkable. I wasn’t going to sign a contract – I told them the only way I’ll do it was if I had the Christmas game off because I can’t risk not being there at Christmas with my kids.

“He has been the most supportive boss ever.”

Lauren Jackson with sons Lenny and Harry in 2022.Credit: Eddie Jim

Jackson has been in superb form in the back half of the WNBL season, as she worked her way to full fitness from a torn Achilles which abruptly ended her 2022-23 season, and foot surgery.

Now free of training restrictions, the five-time WNBL champion had a game-high 38 points on 15-for-22 shooting, and 11 rebounds and two assists in the game three win over the Melbourne Boomers on Wednesday, with fans reminiscing of her glory years with the Seattle Storm, and her 30-point, bronze-medal winning effort for the Opals at the 2022 World Cup in Sydney.

Jackson will suit up with Albury in NBL1 over winter, and said she is considering returning to the Flyers next season.

“It comes down to them [her sons]. If they are comfortable with me going around one more time, and my body is alright, then see what happens,” Jackson said.

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