Lauren Jackson will not be the next international basketball star to turn her hand to AFL.
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The retired sporting legend and new mum was at Wodonga Racecourse on Saturday to speak at the sixth annual Belvoir Special School charity luncheon.
Opals teammate Erin Phillips was a revelation as the AFLW best and fairest this year, but asked on stage if she would would consider the same move, Jackson was very quick to say no.
“A lot of basketballers have transitioned and started playing AFL,” she said.
“For me personally, no way.
“Basketball was always in my blood, I just couldn’t imagine being out of the football field.
“It’s just a lot of running around a giant field - at least basketball courts are a bit smaller.”
The 300-strong crowd at the luncheon were treated to stories of Jackson growing up as a talented basketballer in Albury, her career in the US and her life after retirement.
But she admitted she was wrong when she said basketball was the love of her life – that has turned out to be her three-month-old old son Harry.
The birth was a scary time for Jackson because Harry was born premature and could fit into the palm her hand, but he is now a healthy baby.
Things have changed for sure ... I’ve never been happier in my whole life.
- Lauren Jackson
“I’ll protect that kid, there’s no two ways about it, he’s going to have more than enough love around him,” she said.
“Things have changed for sure, for the better.
“I’ve never been happier in my whole life. Basketball was definitely my whole life for a long time because I didn’t know anything else and then when I had him, it just changed everything.”
Jackson also said she had “mixed reactions” to her appearance on the SBS show Insight, where she publicly revealed her struggles with depression for the first time, but said she had no regrets.
“If I can make it better for the next generation of athletes, and having those resources to transition out of sport into life, then I want to be able to help push that,” she said.
“We need to talk about that because it is an issue and mental health, particularly now more than ever, is being highlighted in athletes and it’s important there’s help there.”
Belvoir Special School thanked the many guests who attended and took part in the auction for their generosity for the school’s big annual fundraiser.
