I first met Lauren Jackson in the flesh at a dinner for the Canberra Capitals more than 15 years ago. Of course I'd seen her play basketball countless times, but standing right next to her was initially intimidating.
And no, it wasn't her height - though when you are a 6 foot tall female, it's not often you have other women towering over you; and at 6'5" plus some killer heels, she certainly did.
I was more than a little impressed because she was to me, and still is, the first female sporting superstar Australia had on the international stage. "LJ" wasn't just the best in this country, at the height of her powers; she was arguably the best female basketballer in the world.
Growing up as a fanatical basketball fan, who once trailed Scottie Pippen through Frankfurt airport trying to work up the courage to ask for an autograph, the U.S. was in my opinion the promised land of hoop dreams. That's where the superstars were born, and the 'Stars and Stripes' ruled the basketball world.
I would never have believed you if you told me that within a decade the best female player in the world would be a kid from regional New South Wales. With her wide smile and ready laugh, Lauren's laid-back personality makes you almost forget that you're talking to someone who had so much talent she would collect four Olympic medals, three world championship medals and countless MVP awards in a stupendously successful career spanning two decades and six countries.
We would cross paths many times during my work on the Women's National Basketball League in Australia. She never refused an interview request and the crowds would double when she was in town. Increasingly, though, I would be chatting to a player recovering from injury or surgery rather than a superstar dominating inside the paint.
I watched her press conference announcing her retirement with the same admiration I had all those years ago, and with more than a touch of sadness. The story wasn't meant to end there. Like her legion of fans, I was certain the final chapter would be Olympic Gold, the one perhaps that got away. It seems even superstars have bodies that can break.
Jackson was genetically programmed to be exceptional her family pedigree ensured that. Her parents, Maree Bennie and Gary Jackson, were Australian representatives themselves, and while she enjoyed their unwavering support it also seemed appropriate that Basketball Australia surrounded her with members of her on-court family as she bade the game farewell.
It speaks volumes that one of Lauren's national team captains, Racheal Sporn, a legend of the game in her own right, counted herself "lucky" to be invited to be with Lauren at her retirement announcement.
"I remember Lauren at 16 years old on her first tour to Brazil, really just a skinny kid back then; but when she stepped over the line it was like she was a veteran already. She played maybe 10 mins a game but her stats were ridiculous". "We were all a bit incredulous and wondered if it could be sustained", Sporn told ESPN, "Lauren had no fear. And that was the key".
It's other qualities though that make her really special.
"She always had a passion for the game, for her team and winning with the team; it has never been about the fame or the money. That's what makes her a true Opal; that's what I love about her".
Carrie Graf has coached pretty much every talented Australian female basketballer over the years, and she was Jackson's main coach at Australian club and country level. She certainly knew Lauren was destined for great things.
"Her athleticism at that size was unique and ahead of her time, certainly in Australian basketball," Graf told ESPN. "While she could dominate inside, her skill from the perimeter was just brilliant and set her apart".
It was also the attitude, Graf says.
"I remember her in the gold medal match at the Sydney Olympics, 19 years old, it was a huge game in front of a home crowd, but as soon as she stepped on court, no game was ever too big for her"
Graf believes Jackson went a long way in changing the way people thought about female athletes. A legacy that will endure.
"Think what she was able to do. She set new standards. To sign the contracts she did, made a statement that elite female athletes, could earn big money. She didn't make anywhere near what she would have had she been male, but she showed what women can do and sponsors bought into that and were prepared to invest".
Jackson calls basketball the love of her life, but, unlike some athletes whose life's work has been their sport, she has many other strings to her bow. Outside basketball, she has been active in her philanthropic pursuits -- including work for domestic violence charities and the NSW Rape Crisis Centre; projects she'll throw herself into now her playing days are over.
There's also the small matter of fixing up her body and maybe kids in the future, too. This isn't the last we've heard of Lauren Jackson by a long stretch, but, for now, as a basketball fan, all I can say is: "LJ, thanks for the memories."