Lauren Jackson is one of Australia’s most famous and long-standing basketballers, having played for over 20 years and attended Olympic Games with the Opals.

She was part of the team that won the 2006 World Cup, and has won medals at the Olympics and Commonwealth Games to boot.

Whilst the veteran is no longer plying her trade overseas and now plays domestically in Victoria, many fans think her experience could be crucial to lead a talented Opals side to a medal charge in Paris.

The Sporting News looks at if Lauren Jackson will be playing at the 2024 Olympics.

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Is Lauren Jackson playing at the Olympics?

The Opals 12-player squad was announced on July 7, and it confirmed Lauren Jackson would be playing for Australia at the 2024 Olympics in Paris.

It will be the 43-year-old’s fifth Olympic campaign, 24 years after her first at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney.

Jackson has won four medals for the Opals at the Olympics, with three silver medals and one bronze medal won between 2000-2012.

Jackson first retired in 2016, but came out of retirement in 2022 to play locally in Australia.

Australian Opals squad for 2024 Paris Olympics

The 2024 Paris Olympic Opals feature one of the most elite collections of WNBA talent to pull on the green and gold. 

Chief among them is Ezi Magbegor, the Seattle Storm player who has been named to two WNBA All-Defensive Teams, an All-Star in 2023, and was stiff to not be selected this season. 

Alanna Smith was another player many thought would be an All-Star, currently enjoying a career-year with title contenders the Minnesota Lynx. 

The Opals other WNBA talents include Washington’s Jade Melbourne, Phoenix’s Bec Allen, Los Angeles’ Steph Talbot, Indiana’s Kristy Wallace, and Seattle’s Sami Whitcomb. 

2024’s 20th draft pick Issy Borlase was also named on the team, with the youngster yet to move stateside to make her WNBA debut. 

Who do the Opals play at the Paris Olympics?

The Opals have been drawn in Group B alongside Nigeria, host nation France and Canada.

Australia, Canada and France actually faced off at the World Cup two years ago, with France pulling off a surprise win over the Opals in their opening match in the group stages; Australia did recover to win their remaining matches including against Canada.

France are currently ranked seventh in the world, and will have a big boost thanks to playing on home soil.

Canada are fifth in the world and reached the semi-finals of the World Cup, where they suffered defeat and lost in the third placed playoff against Australia.

Nigeria were forced to withdraw from the World Cup, but are currently ranked 12th in the world, and are the highest ranked African nation.

Opals Paris Olympics schedule

The Opals’ first match of the Olympics will be against Nigeria on July 29 at 7 p.m. AEST.

On August 1 they play Canada at 9:30 p.m. AEST, and they finish their group stage against France on August 4 at 5 a.m. AEST.

All group stage matches are being played at the Pierre Mauroy Stadium in Lille.