If her mind and body are willing, who could say with conviction Lauren Jackson couldn't mount a stunning WNBL comeback six years after retiring at a time she was drained by chronic injuries and a knee problem?

Canberra Capitals coach Paul Goriss has tipped the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame member to "dominate" the NBL1 East competition as she prepares to return for the Albury-Wodonga Bandits in April.

The 40-year-old's comeback has already ignited hopes she could join Australia's World Cup campaign later this year and push for a return to the WNBL, where she won five championships and four most valuable player awards.

The Capitals legend retired six years ago but Goriss believes Jackson could still "do whatever she wanted to in NBL1" - however he warns it may be a slow burn before she rediscovers her touch.

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"I think she'd pretty much at any stage dominate NBL1," Goriss said.

"I haven't obviously coached her, I've just seen her and watched her from afar, but just knowing her basketball experience, her basketball IQ, her size and the skill she has ... I would assume once she gets back in game touch and game feel that she would probably dominate and do whatever she wanted to in NBL1.

"Coming back here with [Alex Bunton at the Capitals] and just knowing it took Bunts a little bit, probably four to six weeks of practice in our pre-season just to get back the touch, the feel, the change of direction and having bodies around them. That's different when they've had an extended period of time off.

"I have no doubt LJ won't take long get back into it but it will take a little bit of time. I think people have just got to temper their expectations that she's not going to walk into her first game of NBL1 and have 40 points.

"She very well could, she might prove me wrong, but I still think it'll be a slow burn for her."

Jackson was arguably the world's best player at the peak of her powers. Four MVP awards in the WNBL are only scratching the surface - with it come four WNBL grand final MVP awards, three WNBA MVP gongs, two WNBA championships, scoring titles and a Seattle Storm jersey with her name and number hanging from the rafters.

Whispers of Jackson pulling on an Opals uniform for a World Cup on home soil or stepping onto a WNBL court again may yet prove fanciful.

But if the desire is there, only a brave punter would write off Australia's greatest basketball player.

"I guess that's her decision and that's up to her, what her goals are," Goriss said.

"In her case it's wait and see how she goes in NBL1, how her body goes, how she pulls up, how she is enjoying playing.

"I know she is a competitor, so once she starts playing and if she's all in, she may want to have another crack at WNBL."

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