From Albury mixed basketball to Hall of Fame: Lauren Jackson joins the greats

Then her phone rang and she was blown away by the news she was the first Australian player to enter the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, joining coach Lindsay Gaze.

It's put the two-time WNBA champion alongside the likes of Michael Jordan, Wilt Chamberlain and Shaquille O'Neal.

The 40-year-old said everything she achieved in her career came off the back of her time in Canberra. And her time under former Canberra Capitals coach Carrie Graf.

Along with her WNBA championships, Jackson was a three-time MVP and a seven-time All Star.

With the Capitals she won four WNBL championships, along with one with the AIS, was a four-time grand final MVP, a four-time MVP and a five-time All Star.

That's without even touching on her accomplishments with the Opals - winning a world championship, three Olympic silver medals and a bronze, as well as a Commonwealth Games gold medal.

She felt truly honoured by the recognition, having her name part of the who's who of world basketball on Monday.

"I was playing mixed basketball here in Albury, it was late on Wednesday night and we'd just finished the game," Jackson recalled.

"My knees were hurting, my hips were hurting, I was having a bit of a whinge and I got a call from the Hall of Fame.

"That was really lovely ... I called my parents, gave my kids a cuddle and went to bed. And here we are.

"It's been a crazy ride and this sort of recognition makes me reflect on the career that I've had and the positive, really great experiences I've had. It's amazing."

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Jackson said her time in Canberra laid the foundation for what was to come - firstly playing for the AIS in the WNBL, before helping turn the Capitals into a powerhouse.

She also acknowledged the role Graf played in her development.

Moving up from her home town of Albury as a teenager, the capital became her second home and the launching pad to dominating the world stage.

"My time in Canberra was some of the fondest of my entire career. Canberra to me is like my second home in Australia, there's no doubt about it," Jackson said.

"Everything I achieved came off the back of what happened in Canberra.

"I was at the AIS there and then the Canberra Capitals, they were the only team I played for in the WNBL other than the AIS.

"I took so much pride in helping that team be successful. In the early years from when we won our first championship with Graffy and Shelley [Sandie] and [Kristen Veal].

"I proved to myself even then that I'd be able to play at any level because of what I was able to achieve in Canberra.

"Then also having a coach like Graffy, who had this massive vision for women's sport and for women's basketball - where it should go and the professionalism and stuff like that.

"Having her as a coach and a mentor at such a young age was critical to my development.

"Canberra was everything here in Australia for me."

Jackson recalled the names she grew up idolising that she's joined.

Jordan, Bill Russell and Chamberlain were all her heroes as she dreamed of one-day making it to the WNBA.

Chamberlain's autobiography Wilt: Just like any other 7-foot black millionaire who lives next door was the first book she ever read.

Jackson felt the WNBA provided her with the perfect wake-up call, allowing her to become the best player in the world.

She hoped the fact she was the first Australian player to join the Hall of Fame meant there was a female role model to inspire the next generation of 10-year-old girls dreaming of a career shooting hoops.

"I can't believe I'm the first athlete in there. There's been so many other great players that have come before me and their mark on the sport here in Australia has just been invaluable to where we are right now," Jackson said.

"I feel being the first athlete, being the first female athlete over there ... a lot of young girls can be like, 'I can do that, I can get there. I'm in the pathway, I'm in the system'.

"It's a great sport and you can achieve the greatest highs in the world playing in the sport - in the Olympics, the world championships, the NBA, the WNBA.

"It's just going to help the case for those youngsters that want to get in the sport."