Lauren Jackson nominated for Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame

The Canberra Capitals great is on the verge of American basketball's highest honour after being named a nominee for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame's class of 2021.

Truth be told, "throughout my whole career this is the one I hoped I would be nominated for".

Jackson is the first Australian nominee and, if successful, will join the likes of Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in the esteemed group.

"I found out when I was getting a juice, waiting for a smoothie. I didn't even know," Jackson said.

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"It was a bit of a surprise, I'd planned today to go and do a bit of a Christmas shop for everybody. I was definitely shocked.

"It's one of the highest honours in basketball globally. Just to be nominated for it is such a massive honour. No matter what the outcome is, it's definitely a bit of a high to hear about it."

Jackson will learn if she is included among the finalists during the NBA All-Star weekend, scheduled for early March. The entire class of 2021 will be unveiled during the NCAA Final Four, which is slated for early April.

There are only 410 members in the Hall of Fame, which is named after the teacher who invented basketball and recognises players, officials, and other major contributors to the sport.

Boston Celtics star Paul Pierce and longtime player, coach and broadcaster Doug Collins are the other headline acts among the nominees for this year.

Also among the candidates are Michael Cooper, Howard Garfinkel, Lou Henson, Val Ackerman, and Yolanda Griffith.

Jackson took a moment to ponder the names she could soon join in the esteemed group but there wasn't a defining moment of her career she could pinpoint as a highlight.

Not 12 seasons with the Seattle Storm in the WNBA, where she was named the league's most valuable player three times, winning two titles and having her No. 15 jersey retired.

Not four MVP awards in the WNBL, four grand final MVP awards or the five championships she won across stints with the Capitals and a team of young guns at the AIS.

Not three silver medals and a bronze for Australia across four Olympic Games appearances, or her induction into both the Sports Australia Hall of Fame and the Australian Basketball Hall of Fame.

"Looking back, it was the whole journey. There were ups and downs in every season on every single team I was in," Basketball Australia's head of women's basketball Jackson said.

"Some of my favourite years were years we didn't win, or I didn't get MVP. It really was the journey. Individually, being a flag bearer of Australia [at the 2012 London Olympic Games] is something I will never ever forget, that was a really special moment for me.

"Then obviously the gold medal with the world championship team was amazing. I've had a lot of highlights, but it's just the people and the journey along the way.

"It's just more the recognition of my career. I've had a lot of honours over the past couple of years with the Basketball Australia and the Sport Australia Hall of Fame as well.

"This one is super special though, because it is a very special hall of fame in America, in Massachusetts. Throughout my whole career this is the one I hoped I would be nominated for."