156 Facts About Lauren Jackson

Lauren Elizabeth Jackson was born on 11 May 1981 and is an Australian former professional basketball player.

Arguably the most notable Australian women's basketball player, Jackson has had a decorated career with the Australia women's national basketball team and has had multiple stints in the Women's National Basketball League between 1997 and 2024.

The daughter of two national basketball team players, Lauren Jackson was awarded a scholarship to the Australian Institute of Sport in 1997, where she debuted in the WNBL when she was 16.

Lauren Jackson helped the AIS win the WNBL championship in 1999 before joining the Canberra Capitals, where she won championships in 2000,2002,2003 and 2006 during her first stint.

Lauren Jackson won her sixth championship in 2010 with Canberra and her seventh in 2024 with the Southside Flyers.

Lauren Jackson earned WNBL Grand Final MVP in 2002,2003,2006 and 2010.

In 2001, Lauren Jackson entered the WNBA draft and was selected by the Seattle Storm.

Lauren Jackson played 12 seasons for the Storm, with her final WNBA season coming in 2012.

Lauren Jackson helped the team win championships in 2004 and 2010 while earning Finals MVP in 2010.

Lauren Jackson collected multiple individual accolades and was named to multiple WNBA Anniversary Teams.

Lauren Jackson came out of retirement in 2022 and returned to the WNBL and the Opals.

Lauren Jackson was inducted into the Australian Basketball Hall of Fame in 2019, Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2020, and Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2021.

Bennie played in two World Championships, and for the women's basketball team at Louisiana State in the late 1980s, wearing the number 15, the number Lauren Jackson wears in her mother's honour.

Lauren Jackson's parents continued to play basketball locally on a social level when Lauren and her brother were young, and her family had a basketball court in their backyard when Jackson was growing up.

Lauren Jackson grew up in Albury, where she attended Murray High School.

Lauren Jackson started playing basketball at the Albury Sports Centre when she was four years old.

Lauren Jackson first played competitive basketball as a six-year-old she played on a local under-10 side.

Lauren Jackson's team made it to the Grand Final one year, and she played in the match despite having hurt her knee.

When she was 14 years old, Lauren Jackson led her New South Wales side to a national championship gold.

Lauren Jackson was described as a basketball prodigy by the time she was seventeen years old.

Lauren Jackson was active in other sports growing up, competing in athletics at school as well as tennis and netball.

Lauren Jackson was recognised as one of the world's best basketball players by the time she was 21.

Lauren Jackson has been described as Australia's best female player and the best female basketball player in the world.

Lauren Jackson plays two positions, power forward and centre, and has the ability to make jump shots and spinning bank shots.

Lauren Jackson had a rivalry with American basketball player Lisa Leslie.

The rivalry reportedly started when Lauren Jackson was on tour in the United States with the Opals as a 16-year-old.

The rivalry intensified in 2000 at the Olympics in the gold medal match when Lauren Jackson purposely pulled off Leslie's hair extension while both were trying to grab a rebound.

The rivalry continued when Lauren Jackson transitioned to the WNBA and her Seattle Storm team played Leslie's Los Angeles Sparks, who at the time were the best team in the league.

Leslie and Lauren Jackson have played together as team members in the WNBA's All-Star game.

Lauren Jackson was offered a scholarship with the Australian Institute of Sport in 1996, when she was just 15, but her parents said no to this, as it required her to move from Albury to Canberra.

Lauren Jackson was named grand final MVP for the first time after recording 29 points and 21 rebounds.

In December 2002, a Capitals' game against the Townsville Fire in Townsville was moved to the Townsville Entertainment and Convention Centre, which seated 5,000 people instead of at the Fire's normal 800-seat stadium, because it was felt Lauren Jackson would draw that large a crowd.

Lauren Jackson did, with 4,110 people showing up to the game and setting a regular season attendance record for the Fire.

Canberra lost the match despite 23 points from Lauren Jackson, which was six below her average of 29 points per game at that point in the season.

Lauren Jackson played with the Capitals in the 2003 FIBA Club World Cup for Women where she averaged 30.6 points and 11.4 rebounds per game.

In November 2006, Lauren Jackson indicated to the media that she might be interested in playing in the men's National Basketball League.

In 2011, Lauren Jackson signed a unique $1 million three-season, five-year deal to play with the Capitals.

Lauren Jackson appeared in six games, losing only one as she averaged 13 points and seven rebounds.

Lauren Jackson required weekly drainings of synovial fluid out of her knee and eventually her knee gave in.

Lauren Jackson came out of retirement at the age of 40 to play for the Albury Wodonga Bandits of the NBL1 East in the 2022 NBL1 season.

Lauren Jackson was named league MVP and helped the Bandits win the NBL1 East championship.

Lauren Jackson joined the Albury Wodonga Bandits for the 2024 NBL1 East season.

Opposition players knew they could get at Lauren Jackson by giving her sneaky fouls and nettling her back with some trash talk.

Lauren Jackson has played 9,958 minutes in the league and ranks 16th all time in this category.

Lauren Jackson ranked fifth all time in the league with 4,456 field goal attempts.

Lauren Jackson attempted 1219 three-point field goals in her career, ranking 10th on the league's all time leaderboard.

Lauren Jackson was ranked second all time in the league for turnover percentage with 9.4.

In 2001, Lauren Jackson was drafted first when she entered the WNBA draft in the fifth year of the league having a draft and was selected by the Seattle Storm.

Lauren Jackson's parents stayed with her in Seattle for the first month she played in the WNBA in 2001.

Lauren Jackson ranked eighth in the league with 406 field goal attempts.

On 3 July 2001, Lauren Jackson set a WNBA record for most minutes played in a single game with 55 in a game against Washington that had four overtime periods.

Lauren Jackson attempted 129 three-point field goals this season, ranking eighth in the league.

Lauren Jackson ranked seventh in the league in this category for the season, and was a WNBA All Star.

Lauren Jackson was a WNBA All Star again in 2002, and played in the All Star Game.

Lauren Jackson was the team's captain, the youngest in the WNBA at the time.

In 2002, Carrie Graf, who had been an assistant coach on the Australian national team from when Lauren Jackson for played for it, changed coaching positions in the WNBA from Phoenix to Seattle specifically to make Lauren Jackson feel more comfortable playing for the team.

Lauren Jackson was estimated to have earned $200,000 to play for the Storm in 2002.

Lauren Jackson's mother spent two weeks in Seattle with her during this season.

Lauren Jackson and Sue Bird first played together this season and would continue to play together for the Storm into the 2010 season.

Lauren Jackson ranked second in the league with 462 field goal attempts, and made 186 field goals, ranking sixth in the league in this category.

Lauren Jackson ranked fourth in the league in this category this season.

Lauren Jackson was ranked first in the league for turnover percentage with 8.6.

Lauren Jackson was a WNBA All Star again in 2003, and was named to the 2003 All-WNBA First Team.

Lauren Jackson was named the league's MVP, and was one of the top five women in the league for average number of rebounds per games and blocks per game.

Lauren Jackson called Tom Maher and her Seattle Storm coach Anne Donovan after winning the award, and cried for an hour after learning she won.

Lauren Jackson was the first non-American to be named the league's MVP and the youngest player to earn this honour.

Lauren Jackson ranked first in the league for field goals, with 254, for total points with 698, for field goal attempts with 526, and for win shares with 9.2, and offensive win shares with 6.7.

Lauren Jackson was again named to the 2004 All-WNBA First Team.

Lauren Jackson played in 31 games, averaging 34.5 minutes per game.

Lauren Jackson made 220 field goals and ranked second in the league in this category.

Lauren Jackson ranked fourth in the league with 460 field goal attempts.

Lauren Jackson ranked first in the league for total points with 634, and for points per game with 20.52 points on average, and had a player efficiency of 28.0, second in the league in this category.

Lauren Jackson was a WNBA All Star again in 2005, and was named to the 2005 All-WNBA First Team.

Lauren Jackson averaged 17.6 points per game, and 2.0 blocks per game.

Lauren Jackson ranked third in the league for her 34 total games, and for her 206 field goals.

Lauren Jackson ranked fifth in the league for total minutes played with 1,176, and for field goal attempts, with 450.

Lauren Jackson attempted 118 three-point field goals this season, ranking eighth in the league, and was ranked first for total defensive rebounds with 217.

Lauren Jackson ranked first in the league in this category this season.

Lauren Jackson was still with the Seattle Storm in 2006, coached by Anne Donovan.

Lauren Jackson was a WNBA All Star again in 2006, and was named to the 2006 All-WNBA First Team.

Lauren Jackson made 193 field goals and ranked seventh in the league.

Lauren Jackson ranked first in the league in the offensive rating category with 135.3.

Lauren Jackson ranked first in the league for offensive win shares with 7.4.

Lauren Jackson ranked first in the league for win shares with 8.8.

Lauren Jackson was a WNBA All Star for the sixth time in 2007.

Lauren Jackson was named to the 2007 All-WNBA First Team.

Lauren Jackson averaged 23.8 points per game, the most points she had averaged per game for a season in the WNBA.

Lauren Jackson averaged 22.4 points, 2.16 blocks, and 9.3 rebounds per game at the time of the All-Star Break, leading the league in points and blocks, and was second for rebounds.

Lauren Jackson made 258 field goals, ranking second in the league in this category.

Lauren Jackson ranked third in the league with 497 field goal attempts.

Lauren Jackson ranked first in the league in defensive rebounds, with 220, for total rebounds, with 300, and for total average number of rebounds per game, with 9.7.

Lauren Jackson had a player efficiency rating of 35.0, ranking first in the league in this category this season.

In 2009, Lauren Jackson became a WNBA All Star for the seventh time and was named to the 2009 All-WNBA First Team.

Lauren Jackson played in 26 games, in which she averaged 32.3 minutes per game.

Lauren Jackson played for the WNBA All-Stars at the Stars at the Sun game in 2010, and her Seattle Storm team won the WNBA Championship.

Lauren Jackson was named to the 2010 All-WNBA First Team.

On 2 September 2010, Lauren Jackson was presented her third MVP Award at the Seattle Storm's Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals against the Phoenix Mercury.

Lauren Jackson attempted 156 three-point field goals this season, ranking eighth in the league.

Lauren Jackson had a player efficiency of 27.9, ranking first in the league in this category this season.

In 2011, Lauren Jackson had to deal with a number of injuries that kept her out for most of the season.

Lauren Jackson missed 20 games in a season that is 34 games long.

Lauren Jackson opted to sit out the early part of the 2012 season as she wanted to concentrate on making the national team and competing in the Olympics.

The Storm saw an early playoff exit in their series against the Minnesota Lynx, with Lauren Jackson attempting a buzzer beater in the third game but falling short.

Lauren Jackson's attentions turned to the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

However, in November 2015, Lauren Jackson announced that her rehabilitation had suffered a setback that would keep her from practising until January 2016.

In December 2006, Lauren Jackson moved to South Korea to play for Samsung Bichumi of the Women's Korean Basketball League.

Lauren Jackson was named the league's Most Valuable Player after averaging 30.2 points per game.

Immediately following her season in Korea, Lauren Jackson moved to Russia where she was paid six figures for a one-month stint with WBC Spartak Moscow Region.

Lauren Jackson's teammates included Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi, and Tina Thompson.

Lauren Jackson scored 35 points in a EuroLeague game on 11 April 2008 against UMMC Ekaterinburg.

In 2009, Lauren Jackson had an option of extending her contract with Spartak for two more years.

Lauren Jackson averaged 17.3 points and 8.4 rebounds per game prior to leaving the team in early January 2011 because of an injury, returning to Australia for her recovery.

Lauren Jackson helped Heilongjiang qualify for the playoffs with averages of 22 points, 9.5 rebounds and 1.8 steals per game, but a heel injury saw Jackson miss the post-season.

Lauren Jackson made the Australian under-20 team when she was only 14 years old.

Lauren Jackson was first called up to the senior national team when she was 16 years old.

Lauren Jackson was a member of the 1997 Australian Junior Women's Team that won a silver medal at the World Championships in Brazil.

Lauren Jackson averaged 14.3 points per game and 9.9 rebounds per game.

Lauren Jackson was a member of the 1998 Australian Senior Women's Team that won a bronze medal at the World Championships in Germany.

Lauren Jackson was a key part of the team's success.

Lauren Jackson was coached in the tournament by Tom Maher.

Lauren Jackson was a member of the 2000 Summer Olympics team that won a silver medal.

Lauren Jackson averaged 15.9 points and 8.4 rebounds per game.

Lauren Jackson led the team in points scored and total rebounds.

Lauren Jackson was a member of the Australian Senior Women's Team that won a silver medal in the World Championships in China in 2002.

Lauren Jackson averaged 23.1 points a game in the competition and was named to the All-Star team for the tournament.

Lauren Jackson competed in the 2003 World Championships and was named the International Basketball Federation's Most Valuable Player.

Lauren Jackson was a member of the Australian senior team that won a silver medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics, where she averaged 22.9 points and 10.0 rebounds per game.

Lauren Jackson played in the preliminary final against the Mozambique women's national basketball team, and the gold deal match against New Zealand.

Lauren Jackson was the captain of the Australian women's senior team that won a gold medal at the World Championships in Brazil in 2006 that beat Russia in the Gold Medal match.

Lauren Jackson averaged 13.4 points per game and 7.9 rebounds per game.

Lauren Jackson missed the first training camp for the 2012 Summer Olympics squad in March, but was back by April to train with the team.

Lauren Jackson was one of the models for the 2012 Australian Olympic team uniforms, and chosen to carry the Australian flag during the Opening Ceremony for the 2012 Olympic Games.

The hamstring injury prevented Lauren Jackson from getting much play during the Olympic tournament, having only had significant court time in the matches against USA and the bronze medal play-off with Russia.

However, the delayed recovery of Lauren Jackson's knee led her to give up on the tournament to have her right hip operated on to fix a torn labrum in September 2014.

Lauren Jackson had gotten the tear while playing for Ros Casares Valencia in 2012 but went without surgery to not miss the then-upcoming Olympics.

Lauren Jackson returned to the Australia squad in 2022 for the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup in Sydney.

Australia went on to win the bronze medal, with Lauren Jackson recording 30 points and 7 rebounds in their victory over Canada.

In February 2024, Lauren Jackson helped the Opals qualify for the 2024 Summer Olympics.

Lauren Jackson initially intended to retire for a third time after the qualifying tournament, but the following month she was named in the Opals Olympic squad, who accepted her request to bring her children to the Olympics.

Lauren Jackson had a reduced participation, with only twenty minutes and six points through the tournament, but became the first Australian athlete to win medals in five editions of the Olympic Games once she earned the bronze.

Lauren Jackson subsequently retired from international duties for the final time.

Lauren Jackson served as head coach of the Albury Wodonga Bandits women's team in the 2019 NBL1 season.

Lauren Jackson had surgery on her left hip acetabular labrum in June 2011 in Vail, Colorado at the Richard Steadman Clinic.

Lauren Jackson partied a fair amount in her early 20s.

Lauren Jackson posed for the 2005 edition of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.

Lauren Jackson was named the Australian International Player of the Year in 1999,2000,2002,2004,2006 and 2008.

Lauren Jackson was the flag bearer for Australia at the 2012 Summer Olympics.

Lauren Jackson was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2020, the same year in which she was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame.

Lauren Jackson was an inaugural inductee to the University of Canberra Sport Walk of Fame in 2022.

In November 2024, Lauren Jackson was honoured at the Sport Australia Hall of Fame Awards, receiving The Dawn Award.

Lauren Jackson earned her Higher School Certificate in Canberra while she was training with the Australian Institute of Sport.

Lauren Jackson studied for a psychology degree at Lomonosov Moscow State University and continued via correspondence from America.

Lauren Jackson's coursework was centred in cultural studies and included topics like women's rights and racism.

In 2016, Lauren Jackson became the leader of the Australian Basketball Alliance and joined the new ownership group of the Melbourne Boomers.

Lauren Jackson served as a commentator for the Seven Network during the 2016 Olympics, on studio rather than travelling to the Games because of her pregnancy.

Lauren Jackson released an autobiography, My Story: A Life in Basketball and Beyond, in October 2018.