Capitals standouts Alex Sharp and Jade Melbourne were named in the Australian squad, as well as Canberra legend Lauren Jackson, despite announcing her retirement from international basketball earlier this year having helped the Opals qualify for the Games.

Coach Sandy Brondello's extended 26-player squad will take part in training camps, tours and fixtures in the lead-up to the Games, which begin on July 26.

The final 12-player team to fight for medals in the French capital will be selected from the extended squad.

In the lead-up to the Paris squad announcement, Jackson had expressed a desire for Basketball Australia to help cover costs for a carer to mind her children in France during the Olympic basketball tournament.

The 42-year-old Jackson - arguably Australia's greatest-ever basketball player - announced her retirement from the Opals in February after Australia qualified for the Games with an 85-52 thumping of Germany in Brazil.

Jackson told The Canberra Times in January that prior to the Opals' Olympic qualifying campaign she had actually told her family and agent she was planning to retire from international basketball again. Jackson said at the time her family responsibilities made continuing international basketball beyond the Olympic qualification campaign more difficult.

Then a phone call from Opals selectors convinced her to stay on for the qualifiers, and seemingly a similar situation has happened again for the Paris Games.

Less than seven weeks after announcing "I'm done" following the Opals sealing their ticket to Paris, Jackson is in a squad that includes 11 members of the team that took bronze at the World Cup in 2022.

Jackson has won four Olympic medals, including silver at three consecutive Games, starting with Sydney in 2000 when she competed as a teenager.

"It's always an exciting time to announce an Olympic squad and I congratulate all the athletes," Brondello said.

"They all know what it means to play for Australia and they all want the opportunity to represent their country at an Olympics.

"Our squad is full of exceptional talent and they will make the decision to pick a final 12 very difficult."

Jackson endured a "brutal" injury stretch since her 2022 WNBL comeback with a broken foot, arthritis, and a torn right Achilles that meant she couldn't walk or sleep properly after games.

She had a sensational WNBL season this year though, culminating in winning the championship with the Southside Flyers, and now a possible Olympics comeback.

The Olympic draw, conducted last week by Opals legend and former Australia captain Penny Taylor in Switzerland, has the Opals grouped in Pool B alongside Canada, Nigeria and host nation France.

Extended Opals Squad for Paris Olympics: Rebecca Allen, Zitina Aokuso, Georgia Amoore, Amy Atwell, Chloe Bibby, Isobel Borlase, Keely Froling, Darcee Garbin, Cayla George, Shyla Heal, Lauren Jackson, Alice Kunek, Tess Madgen, Ezi Magbegor, Anneli Maley, Jade Melbourne, Lauren Nicholson, Stephanie Reid, Maddison Rocci, Lauren Scherf, Alex Sharp, Alanna Smith, Stephanie Talbot, Marianna Tolo, Kristy Wallace, Sami Whitcomb

- with AAP