Lauren Jackson retires with World Cup bronze after Opals beat Canada … but should it have been gold?

Australian Opals icon Lauren Jackson has ended her international basketball career the same way it started – with a bronze World Cup medal. But did a coaching blunder cost her a chance at gold?

The inspirational 41-year-old came out of retirement to help the Opals after the Liz Cambage scandal that saw them blacklisted internationally and left them underperforming on the global stage.

Jackson started her green and gold career in 1998 with a bronze medal and ended it similarly by turning back the clock with a massive 30 point performance in the Opals 95-65 at the Sydney Superdome.

Jackson is hoisted in the air by teammates after winning the bronze medal match of the 2022 Women’s Basketball World Cup between Australia and Canada at the Superdome

The mother of two exploded off the couch after the match was evenly balanced in the early stages, confirming her status as the GOAT of Australian women’s basketball.

However, fans have been wondering why Jackson sat on the bench for the entire second half of Opals’ critical semi-final loss to China just hours earlier.

Australia lost heartbreakingly on Friday night, missing a chance to reach the gold medal match against the US and a guaranteed silver medal after falling 61-59 in China.

Jackson attacks the basket against Canadian Natalie Achonwa in their bronze medal clash

Making the loss even harder to take was the fact that Australia had the ball in their hands in the closing seconds with a chance to draw or win the match.

While Jackson defied all odds of returning to the international scene in his forties, many fans were stunned that Coach Brondello kept her Ferrari in the shed when the game was on the line.

“Maybe just me, but in the waning moments of a close match with a possible gold medal chance I would play my most experienced and controlled player for at least a few minutes. Tolo was exhausted, Ezi was out of her depth, but Lauren Jackson was out the whole second half,” basketball coach Mark Linett wrote.

Lauren Jackson didn’t go back to play for the Opals, only to sit out the final minutes of the game against China. Han wreaked havoc in the center and no one bothered her. Really bad coaching from Brondello,” Rick Manta added.

‘Really, why Lauren Jackson came’ [sic] back if she stays on the couch?? Come on coach, she would be on the floor with the ultimate possession she could shoot… bruhhhh,” Florian posted.

The Opals didn’t have much time to regroup, with their bronze medal match starting less than 15 hours after their loss to China today.

Before going to court, Jackson confirmed on social media that the bronze medal match would be her last for Australia.

“It just dawned on me that this will be the last game ever in the green and gold and how lucky I am to have had this chance to represent Australia and also say goodbye, I didn’t have that chance all those years ago got. I am so proud of our Opals girls and regardless of the outcome this has been the most incredible journey of my basketball life,” she posted on Facebook.

After the game, an “emotional” Jackson said the Opals’ future was bright and she was happy to finish her glittering career on her own terms and to a standing ovation from her home fans.

“Just before we left our rooms for the game, it dawned on me, it literally dawned on me that this is the last game I’ll ever play for Australia,” she said.

“I think because of how special this tournament has been and how the whole journey has been for me, it made me quite emotional.

“When I got out of here, I just wanted to have fun and enjoy it. Sandy got emotional before the game and I got emotional before the game and oh my god it was just a fucking roller coaster.’