Lauren Jackson

Lauren Elizabeth Jackson is a retired Australian professional basketball player in the WNBA.

She was born on May 11, 1981 in Albury, New South Wales, Australia. Jackson is an Australian professional basketball player who is fondly known by names like Loz, LJ or Lo-Jack.

Jackson played for the Australian women’s team, the Opals, in 1997. She led the Australian Institute of Sport team, to a premiership in the WNBL Women’s National Basketball League, the Australian women’s professional league, in 1998-1999 - an unprecedented achievement for a youth team. She joined the other Canberra-based team, the Canberra Capitals, leading to four titles in 1999-2000, 2001-02, 2002-03 and 2005-2006.

In 2001, Jackson was declared for the WNBA Draft and the first round pick to the Seattle Storm, where she has played before. In 2003, she was voted the WNBA’s Most Valuable Player. In 2004, her Seattle Storm team won the WNBA Championship by defeating the Connecticut Sun. She was runner-up for the MVP award in that year, repeatedly in 2005.

In April 2006, she signed a three-year contract to stay with the Storm. On 24 July 2007, Jackson scored a WNBA record 47 points in a 97-96 overtime loss to the Washington Mystics in Washington D.C.

On 6 September 2007, Lauren won her second MVP award. She led the league in both scoring and rebounding and was second in the league in blocked shots. Like many WNBA players, Jackson plays overseas as well - not only for Australia but also for professional clubs in South Korea and Russia.

From 2008 to 2009, her on-court performance steadily improved and she setting records in various aspects. She had the highest efficiency of any player and her shooting percentage was among those at the very top.

In 2010, she was named the finals MVP. However, Jackson was unable to play for most of the 2011 Season as she had numerous injuries. She then sat out majority of the 2012 Season in favor of getting ready or the Olympics for Australia. She had another surgery and missed the 2013 Season. Jackson retired in March 2016.

Career Accomplishments:

Representing Australia
• Silver medal, 2000 Sydney Olympic Games
• Silver medal, 2004 Athens Olympic Games
• Silver medal, 2008 Beijing Olympic Games
• Bronze medal, 2012 London Olympic Games
• Bronze medal, 1998 Germany World Championships
• Bronze medal, 2002 China World Championships
• Gold medal, 2006 Brazil World Championships
• Silver medal, 1997 Brazil World Junior Championships
• Gold medal, 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games

• 4-time WNBL MVP (1999, 2000, 2003, 2004)
• 4-time WNBL Grand Final MVP (2002, 2003, 2006, 2010)
• 5-time WNBL All-Star (1999–2004)
• 7-time WNBA All-Star (2001–2003, 2005–2007, 2009)
• 3-time WNBA MVP (2003, 2007, 2010)
• 2-time WNBA Champion (2004, 2010)
• 3-time WNBA scoring champion (2003, 2004, 2007)
• WNBA Finals MVP (2010)
• WNBA rebounding champion (2007)
• WNBA Defensive Player of the Year Award (2007)
• 7-time All-WNBA First Team (2003–2007, 2009–2010)
• All-WNBA Second Team (2008)
• 2-time All-Defensive First Team (2007, 2009)
• 3-time All-Defensive Second Team (2005, 2008, 2010)
• 3-time WNBA Peak Performer (2003, 2004, 2007)
• Best WNBA Player ESPY (2004, 2005, 2008)
• WNBA's All-Decade Team (2006)
• WNBA's Top 15 Team (2011)
• WNBA Top 20@20 (2016)
• Women's Korea Basketball League MVP (2007)
• No. 15 retired by Seattle Storm
• FIBA World Championship All-Star Five (2002)