Basketball On The Internet.

THERE'S a wonderful "circle of life" moment today in Lauren Jackson's decision to return to the WNBL with Southside Flyers. When her mother Maree Jackson (nee Bennie) plied her trade in Melbourne, it was at the same destination - except at that time, Southside was still the Dandenong Rangers. 

Maree already was well-established as an Australian and international superstar, opening the annual  Australian Club Championship in 1975 at Adelaide's Forestville Stadium by leading her Albury team to a 91-71 win over St Kilda.

Maree slotted a casual 56 points in that championship-opener and Albury finished a very impressive fifth at the 24-team national tournament. The ACC was the sport's biggest club event at that time, still six years before the birth of the WNBL.

When husband Gary Jackson, himself a NSW state player, moved the family to Melbourne for work, Maree eventually was recruited to Dandenong by persistent Rangers coach Alex Palazzolo.

When Gerry Ryan took ownership of the Dandenong Rangers' well-established WNBL club ahead of the 2019-20 season, they swung from the club's traditional green-and-gold colours to blue hues as Southside Flyers, while still playing out of Dandenong Stadium.

Ryan and head coach Cheryl Chambers largely were responsible for securing Jackson and continuing a fairytale story since she returned to the game from retirement at 41 and as a single mother of two boys.

At Southside Flyers, she also rejoins longtime friend and teammate Abby Bishop.

The pair were championship-winning teammates in the WNBA with Seattle Storm and in the WNBL with Canberra Capitals.

They also were Opals teammates at the London Olympic Games, where Lauren also was the Australian team's flag-bearer at the Opening Ceremony.

Dominating the NBA1 East Conference with Albury-Wodonga Bandits this year, Jackson's amazing comeback story has seen her return to the Australian national team for the 2022 FIBA World Cup next month in Sydney and now also to the WNBL for its 2022-23 season.

Her WNBL record includes five championships (1999, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2010), four MVP awards (1999, 2000, 2003, 2004), four Grand Final MVP awards (2002, 2003, 2006, 2010) and six WNBL All Star Five First Team selections in 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004.

“Obviously I am looking forward to once again playing for the Opals and now, with this decision, it is beyond September, and I am excited to be a part of the Flyers team and working with the players to help them with their games and of course make us a better team,” Jackson said.