Basketball On The Internet.

GARRY Lyon may have been an AFL great for Melbourne and a respected sports broadcaster now, but wow did he have it wrong when asking was it a slight on Australian basketball that a 41-year-old Lauren Jackson could make the Opals. LJ's elevation to the squad says zip about the Opals and everything about her.

As fellow basketball junkie Mookie Schiralli responded on social media: "It’s a bit like asking if it was a slight on the NBA that a 38-year old MJ could make a second return from retirement to lead the Wizards in scoring."

Precisely. That feat said nothing about the NBA but everything about Michael Jordan. Similarly, Loz's return says everything about her greatness and nothing about the Opals.

Champions are champions and view the world vastly differently to us mere mortals.

Lauren Jackson is this country's greatest ever basketball player and by a long way. But the story of the Albury junior, daughter of basketball stars Gary and Maree Jackson, isn't just an endless honour roll of success piled upon success.

Oh, there is plenty of success: 4 x WNBL MVP, 4 x WNBL Grand Final MVP, 5 x WNBL Champion, 6 x WNBL All Star Five, 7 x WNBA All Star, 3 x WNBA MVP, 2 x WNBA Championship, 3 x WNBA Top Scorer, 1 x WNBA Top Rebounder, 1 x WNBA Defensive Player of the Year, 7 x WNBA All First Team, 3 x WNBA Peak Performer, WNBA 10th Anniversary Team, WNBA 15th Anniversary Team, WNBA 20th Anniversary Team, WNBA 25th Anniversary Team, Australian Basketball Hall of Fame, 1 Gold Medal World Championship 2006, 3 Olympic Silver Medals, 1 Olympic Bronze Medal, Australian Team Flag Bearer at the 2012 London Olympics, Order of Australia Medal in 2015.

Reads pretty well, doesn't it? And that says nothing of her successful MVP and/or championship stints in Russia, Spain, Korea, China, or inductions into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2020 or the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2021, or of the WNBA's Seattle Storm retiring her #15 uniform.

But compiling that extraordinary resume was not without cost. Chronic injuries, painkillers and continuously taking her stellar game from one corner of the world to the next inevitably led to Lauren's body breaking down, forcing her retirement.

She told her story in her autobiography "Lauren Jackson - A Life in Basketball and Beyond - My Story". But truly, now is the BEYOND so many of us were hoping for her to enjoy.

Pain free after six years retired and with two young sons, her return to NBL1 competition with Albury, playing home games in the venue named in her honour, was a sight to behold.

Her joy was ever evident, ever present. It was as far from the unfortunate note on which she departed the game as you possibly could get. Watching footage of her in action dominating NBL1 East with averages of 32.6 points and 11.6 rebounds while shooting the threeball at 39 per cent, has been an unexpected blessing.

The truth is though, NBL1 East arguably is the weakest of the NBL1 conferences and a far cry from the WNBL and even further from the WNBA.

That's why it again was super-satisfying - if not a relief - to see she came through the Opals camp and now is in the reduced 15-player squad heading to New York for work with head coach Sandy Brondello.

Brondello is coaching New York Liberty in the WNBA, a slight question mark over her Olympian Bec Allen who has experienced concussion-related issues of late.

The squad, which will play practice matches against Canada, is comprised of Bec Allen, Sara Blicavs, Darcee Garbin, Cayla George, Lauren Jackson, Tess Madgen, Ezi Magbegor, Anneli Maley, Jade Melbourne, Maddi Rocci, Alanna Smith, Stephanie Talbot, Marianna Tolo, *Kristy Wallace, Sami Whitcomb. (*Unavailable for practice matches).

Watching developments relating to LJ playing again with equal interest is her WNBA home support in Seattle. The Storm fans are following her every move.

Is Lauren Jackson actually making a "comeback"? Or has she just been able to return to the court pain-free and able to play again with joy and abandon?

Suspect it's the latter, but as a result of being who she is and as great as she is, the rest, typically has naturally followed.

Is the World Cup in Sydney beyond her at 41? She is still 196cm tall, strong, smart with a high basketball IQ, deep skill set and what a locker-room presence she would bring.

Realistically, provided the body holds up, we all know the answer. And it is cause for celebration.