Year: 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 and prior
2008
On Force10 Hoops securing the Storm's future - "I love Seattle. As I have
said many times before, I have made a little home there. I don't believe I
could have packed up and moved that easily! My commitment to the Storm and
our fans has not wavered. I would say it has strengthened and I plan to end
my WNBA career (whenever that may be) in Seattle!"
(Seattle Storm, Jan 25)
On Spartak MR ahead of the Final Four - "We're quietly confident that
we're going to go out there to give it our best and we think our best is good
enough to win."
(FIBA Europe, Apr 9)
On Gamrbinus Brno - "This is the third time I have played Brno. They
play unbelievable basketball, with an amazing energy, and they have intimidating
fans."
(FIBA Europe, Apr 15)
On Spartak MR winning the EuroLeague title - "I really wanted to win
this so badly because I love the girls on the team."
(Daily Telegraph, Apr 16)
On having the Aussie flag wherever she goes - "Oh yeah, oh my god, I'm completely,
I'm getting my tattoo done. Yeah, I'm very proud to be Australian."
(The 7.30 Report - ABC, Apr 29)
On basketball - "So, it's basically a big love affair, really. I love it.
It's, um, I'm pretty lucky. I'm the luckiest girl in the world."
(The 7.30 Report - ABC, Apr 29)
On the new Storm line-up - "I don't feel as much as pressure as I've
felt in a long time out on the court, which is crazy. I
trust my coaching staff and I trust my teammates hugely. I've got a lot of
experience out there. With Sheryl and Swin and Yo out there, they're all people
that have won championships. It just feels good."
(Seattle Storm, May 14)
On the Storm - "To be successful you have to sacrifice something and
I think everyone here has enough experience to realize that. In all
honesty, I think it's going to be great."
(International Herald Tribune, May 16)
On the Storm's second game - "It just clicks in that we might lose the
game and everyone goes, 'Oh! Maybe we should play now. Maybe we should knock
down a few shots.' When our backs are against the wall, we just play well.
Something just kicks in."
(Seattle Times, May 22)
"Seattle is an amazing city and I'm so proud to play for the Storm. The new
ownership also offers another wave of excitement. Having a group of women who
are passionate about our sport taking the lead is inspirational."
(WNBA, May 23)
On Griffith and Swoopes - "Their experience and smarts alone will make
our team a much better, well-rounded team and I know that I will learn from
them and also find comfort in knowing that they have my back!"
(WNBA, May 23)
On playing in the WNBA during an Olympic year - "There are a few different
factors but the biggest one is that Seattle has been my second home now for
eight seasons and I feel a great sense of loyalty to the team. I also feel
like the best preparation I can have for the Olympics is to be playing against
the best players in the world, playing day in and day out and staying fit."
(WNBA, May 23)
"My dream, as a kid, was to play for Australia in the Olympic Games.
I love my country and I'm so patriotic, I would wear a flag on my forehead
if I could."
(Seattle Times, June 4)
On the July 3 win as Bennett moved the Sonics out of Seattle - "I actually
felt like fighting it out to bloody play well and get the win. You sort of
get in that mood, and nothing can really stop you."
(Seattle Times, July 4)
On playing Phoenix - "I have a bit of fun playing against them. I try
not to get too frustrated or I'll tear my hair out."
(Seattle Storm, July 10)
Prior to the Beijing Olympics - "Achieving the gold medal is the one
last thing I really, really want to get."
(Herald Sun, July 20)
"I'm still loving playing more than anything in the world and I feel
like I'm enjoying it more and more every year, so I can't say I'd retire ...
But I'd definitely be taking it a little more lightly than what I have been
... I know I've been pushing myself pretty hard and maybe if I want to take
a season off here or there I can do that."
(Herald Sun, July 20)
"I plan on finishing my career in Australia, so it would be in Sydney no doubt,
but I haven't thought that far ahead. I definitely one day want to be playing
back here."
(Herald Sun, July 20)
Prior to the 2-game series v Brazil - "If Brazil wants to try and shut
me down, fine, Penny Taylor will step up. If they shut Penny down, Suzy Batkovic
will be there and Belinda Snell and Kristi Harrower and I could name every
player on this team. We're a long way from a one-woman show."
(Illawarra Mercury, July 28)
"The Opals team that won the world championship had the best chemistry
of any team I've ever been involved with and we've only made two changes to
it since, so we're a tight, tight group."
(Illawarra Mercury, July 28)
On the Opals - "Our chemistry is amazing and that's what gets us through
the tough situations."
(Illawarra Mercury, July 28)
"I'm not going to be satisfied with anything other than the gold medal."
(The Australian, July 30)
"I'm going to put my heart and soul into (winning) the gold medal. This team's
program, I would do anything for - there's no limitations ... The gold medal
is something I desperately, desperately want. That's all I want."
(The Australian, July 30)
On Team USA - "They all have to play well, together, to win. Individually
the talent they have exceeds anything the world has seen, I believe."
(The Australian, July 30)
On the Olympic Opals team - "Out of Australia, I think it is the perfect
team, definitely ... You look at the roster and most of us - five of us went
to the Australian Institute of Sport - grew up together. There is a very deep
connection. We were sisters and grew up together, lived together (at the AIS)
for three years. I don't know if anybody can really understand just what that
does for a group of people."
(The Australian, July 30)
"The international game is a contact sport and people are going to get
black eyes, people are going to get broken bones and unfortunately that's how
the game goes."
(Sportal, August 7)
"It's always going to be a dogfight between America and Australia because
of the rivalry and there's so much at stake right now, obviously the gold medal."
(Sportal, August 7)
"In terms of physicality, we're used to playing teams that are going
to try and beat the crap out of us because we are so good. People have to stop
us somehow and that's the way that they're going to stop us, especially players
like Penny and myself and Suzy Batkovic and Belinda Snell who you just can't
let go to the basket because we'll kill people."
(Sportal, August 7)
"It is the ultimate goal for me and always has been. It's what I've worked
for my whole career. We're definitely going into the games
with gold on our minds."
(Sportal, August 7)
"My body is my temple. I do everything to keep it in shape and keep myself
looking good."
(The Sun-Herald Magazine, Aug 10)
"I like that I'm six foot five. I can be walking down the street and
someone will say, 'Wow, that's the tallest woman I've ever seen.' When I was
a little girl, I didn't want people to look at me, which was impossible. Now
I can't shy away from it, so I'm just enjoying it."
(The Sun-Herald Magazine, Aug 10)
"There was something in the back of my mind that told me I was going
to special. It drove me my whole life."
(The Sun-Herald Magazine, Aug 10)
On the first three games at the Olympics - "I've been playing like crap.
Every game is about playing better and I need to get better personally and
get the confidence in my game back.
But I've got great team mates. They're working their butts off."
(Reuters, Aug13)
On trailing by 16 against Russia at the Olympics - “When you look up
at the scoreboard and see your dream slipping away, it motivates you."
(Sportal, Aug17)
On surgery straight after the Olympics - "This is something I have to do.
It's in my best interest to have it now so that it doesn't get any worse. I
have a long career ahead, and I don't want to jeopardize any of it."
(Seattle Times, Aug 22)
On losing the Gold Medal game - "The Americans outclassed us. What
else can you say?"
(Newhouse News Service, Aug 24)
On being an unrestricted free agent for the first time - "Look, I love Seattle and I love my coach there. He's great. And so are my teammates obviously, so it's a pretty big decision, something I'm not taking lightly at all."
(The Daily Telegraph, Dec 30)
On numerous teams trying to sign her - "I think at the moment I have to decide on both (options), yeah both - whether to play in the WNBA and if so, with which team ... I don't want to jump into anything that I can't fulfil right now. I don't know how I might feel in a couple of months' time ... I have to make a decision and it's going to be a big one. It could impact on the rest of my career."
(The Daily Telegraph, Dec 30)
Contemplating her WNBA future - I'm at the stage where I don't really need to prove anything and I want to do things for me now. I don't really think there is any right or wrong decision. It's just a matter of finding out what I really want."
(The Daily Telegraph, Dec 30)
On LJ's bloodied blister during EuroLeague Final Four - "Lauren said
it was the most painful injury she's ever experienced .... The skin was
torn three layers deep right away from the ball of her foot when she turned
awkwardly during the semi and she had to back up for the final 24 hours later."
(Daily Telegraph, Apr 16)
On LJ's EuroLeague injury - "The doctor gave directions on how to treat
and tape it so she could walk and they kept working on her straight after the
semi and all the next day with salt baths and then they wrapped it in a donut
shape so she could play."
(Daily Telegraph, Apr 16)
On being asked if he wants more out of LJ - "Not really. She
brings it out already."
(Seattle Storm, May 14)
On LJ - "She's one of the best, if not the best."
(WNBA, May 30)
On planning for the 2009 Seattle Storm - "Our number one priority is to re-sign Lauren Jackson."
(Seattle Storm, Dec 15)
(Seattle Storm, Dec 15)
"Lauren is an unbelievable player and I think we are all fortunate to
be able to play with her. She is playing some of her best basketball right
now and I'm extremely happy she decided to come back to the WNBA this summer."
(WNBA, May 23)
On the July 10 win over Phoenix - "They just guard Lauren - typical. Then
they call three seconds ... weird."
(Seattle Storm, July 10)
On LJ out for ankle surgery - "It's not going to take one person
to fill her shoes. One person can't do it. That's impossible. She's Lauren
Jackson. It's going to take a collective effort."
(Seattle Times, Aug 21)
On LJ's ankle injury - "If there's anything I know about Lauren, it's
that if she could suck it up and play and finish the WNBA season, she would.
That tells you something about the severity of the injury. She can't walk and
play without getting a shot."
(Seattle Times, Aug 22)
Tracey Beatty
On being a single mother on a WNBL salary - "... We're more tinned spaghetti
people than caviar people."
(Canberra Times, Jan 26)
On receiving her Aussie Olympic kit - ''I love the uniforms: they're wonderful.
I could wear a hessian bag with an Aussie logo and it wouldn't bother me.''
(Canberra Times, Aug 7)
Jan Bobrovsky (Brno coach)
"Our best scorers failed in the end of the game. They passed the ball
as the hot potato. I know the quality of Spartak Moscow, but from my view is
only one player on the world Lauren Jackson. She decided about the result."
(FIBA Europe, Jan 16)
Anne Donovan
On LJ playing with pain - "I don't think I've ever coached somebody who's
that determined, who can compartmentalize that area of the game. She just puts
the pain aside and really gets after it. She must really be hurting to put
aside the WNBA season to have that surgery."
(Seattle Times, Aug 22)
Kevin Durant
On LJ - "Now, she's a player. She could play in the league [NBA]. She's
a great player. She's one of those players that can do just about anything
on the floor. I really have a lot of respect for her game. I forget where she's
from [Australia], but she came over and took the game by storm and that's something
I like to see. That makes the game exciting, to see a tall player like that
do just about anything."
(Seattle Times, Jan 14)
FIBA Europe
On LJ - "When the basketball gods sat in the heavens and considered how
to make the perfect player, they must have had Lauren Jackson in mind. Tall,
slim, and full of power, Jackson is the complete package on the basketball
court."
(FIBA Europe, Apr 9)
Natalya Hejkova
On LJ - "I think she's the best one at the moment ... Some things she got
from God, but I think she's a hard worker."
(The 7.30 Report - ABC, Apr 29)
Adam Hirshfield (WNBA.com)
From his 'Race to the MVP' blog on what makes a player "most valuable" -
"... maybe it's the world's most talented all-around player, the brightest
supernova on a team full of stars. I submit Lauren Jackson as Exhibit A."
(WNBA, Jul 11)
Stephen Howell (journalist)
On LJ - "The 26-year-old, definitely the world's No. 1 female basketballer
and arguably Australia's best sportswoman, has conquered almost every arena
she has played in."
(The Age, Apr 17)
Dan Hughes (SASS coach)
After San Antonio's May 30 loss to Seattle - "Lauren was fantastic. She really
set the tone for the basketball game."
(WNBA, May 30)
On LJ - "We have relations, she calls me papa, I call her my Australian daughter."
(The 7.30 Report - ABC, Apr 29)
On LJ - "No intrigues, no star sickness, you know. She never gave an
impression that she's more important or she should be treated different. She
is first for practice, last going home."
(The 7.30 Report - ABC, Apr 29)
Seth Kolloen (journalist)
"... I would not recommend booing Jackson at a Storm game unless you
want end up on YouTube in a video called "Women's Basketball Fans Mercilessly
Pummel Idiot"."
(Seattle P-I, Jan 4)
Nancy Lieberman
"Lauren Jackson is amazing and she’s my MVP because she can do
anything she wants on any given night."
(SLAM Online, Aug 17)
Tom Maher ( Head Coach of China)
"I think Jackson's the best player in the world, but arguably Penny Taylor's
the best perimeter player and it'd be hard to argue that Kristi Harrower wasn't
the best point guard."
(AAP, Aug 3)
On China's Diamond Ball loss to the Opals - “We had some
people intimidated today. If you are suffering such a lack of focus - Jackson
was scary - well that’s
a lesson you have to learn ... We are who we are. We’re not Lauren
Jackson."
(FIBA, Aug 3)
"You can't stop her except maybe with a baseball bat. You just
hope she misses a couple of shots. She's the
greatest catch I've ever seen in any sport. She turns bad passes into assists.
She is just so hard to stop."
(SMH, Aug 21)
Kerry O'Brien (7.30 Report - ABC host)
On LJ - "Australian to her thong straps."
(The 7.30 Report - ABC, Apr 29)
Jenni Screen
On being a court wiper in 2000 to Olympian in 2008 - "I didn't think
eight years down the track I would be lucky enough to be playing beside Lauren
Jackson - it's huge honour."
(SMH, Aug 22)
"What's astonishing about Lauren, really, is that she's been MVP in a
sporting code on four continents. Name me any male who's done that. What she's
been able to do in the last few years — consistently produce — is
just simply outstanding .... And her best is still to come. That's the scary
part. She's had a very successful year, and she's got at least another half-dozen
successful years to come."
(The Age, Apr 17)
"Nothing surprises me anymore when it comes to Lauren and the scary thing
is, there is no telling what this young lady can do in the future."
(SMH, Aug 21)
Laura Summerton
On LJ - "She's an amazing player and I'm so happy she's on our side.
You just have to watch her, she doesn't have to say much."
(Illawarra Mercury, July 29)
On LJ - "I think having an opportunity to play with Lauren, who I've
just every year I've gained more and more respect for who she is as a player
and as a person, to be able to play with her and not figuring out how we're
going to have to stop her - or at least contain her because you can't stop
her - that's going to be a lot of fun to be on her team and on her side and
hopefully being able to make her job a little bit easier."
(Seattle Storm, Mar 3)
Diana Taurasi
On LJ - "I guess you don't really understand how good she is until you're
on the court with her."
(The 7.30 Report - ABC, Apr 29)
Prior to the Olympic final - "Lauren is one of the best players to ever
touch a basketball. If you ask anyone who's ever played against her, she's
the ultimate competitor. I know she's injured, but that's not going to stop
her from doing what she has to do here."
(Seattle Times, Aug 22)
On the FIBA Diamond Ball final v USA - "Yeah, it was definitely one of the
most physical games I've ever played in. But I've had black eyes before; occupational
hazard.''
(The Australian, Aug 7)
On LJ after the Opals Olympic win over Latvia - "She was really unbelievable.
She lifted us when we were struggling offensively."
(Associated Press, Aug 15)
Mike Thibault
On LJ - "She's one of the best players the game has seen. When I think
about matchups that are hard to defend in our league, we spend a lot of time,
a lot of time, worrying about how to play against her. She just changes the
game."
(Seattle Times, Aug 21)
On LJ - "You have a player who's as big as she is, but is mobile. Can
shoot threes. Can postup, pass, rebound and can block shots.You're talking
about an elite, elite player."
(Seattle Times, Aug 21)
On LJ - "You can tell when she plays how much she loves it. I feel bad
for players who have never had the chance to play fully healthy. But I think
it isn't just the Storm that's going to miss her. Our league will miss her."
(Seattle Times, Aug 21)
Tina Thompson
On LJ - "If you allow her to just run around and do whatever
it is that she wants to do, you'll get to a point where no matter how physical
you want to be, after she's already decided that she's going to be, in this
game, absolutely awesome, there's nothing you're going to be able to do."
(The Sports Network, Aug 7)
Mechelle Voepel (ESPN columnist)
"It's impossible to say enough good things about what Jackson has meant to
the WNBA."
(ESPN, July 28)
Ann Wauters
On LJ - "She's one of the best. When she gets going, it's very, very hard
to stop her."
(WNBA, May 30)
Tanisha Wright
On LJ - "I wish her luck. I don't wish Australia luck because I am
an American, but I hope she does well and at least gets a chance to play for
gold."
(Seattle Times, July 13)
Don Zierden (Minnesota head coach)
On LJ's 34 points against the Lynx - “We’re not the only team
(she has done that against). That’s
why she’s the most valuable
player in the league.”
(The News Tribune, July 6)
