Lauren Jackson's unrivalled basketball career appears to have ended on a heart-breaking note after the Opals legend suffered a likely Achilles injury in her WNBL tribute match.
Jackson is set to undergo scans after limping off just over a minute into the Southside Flyers' one-point loss to the Sydney Flames on Saturday night at John Cain Arena.
In tears as she left the court, the 41-year-old returned to the bench early in the second quarter on crutches.
Warmed by the WNBL record crowd of 7681 and their reaction to a pre-game highlight reel of her epic career, Jackson put on a brave face.
She said the injury wasn't related to the broken foot she has been playing with since December.
"This was absolutely incredible. To be a part of it was just magic, but it was a shame I couldn't play more than 10 seconds," Jackson said on court after the match.
"I'll see what I've done...but the good news is that it's not my broken foot, it's the other (leg)," Jackson said post match.
"I think it's my Achilles."
Jackson returned from injury-forced basketball retirement last year to help the Opals to a bronze medal at the FIBA Women's World Cup in Sydney.
Sitting third, the Flyers appear finals-bound in the WNBL with four games remaining.
The former WNBA star said she felt something "pop" when the injury occurred.
"I felt something pop and I said to the referee, 'I don't think I can walk'," Jackson said.
"I don't know whatever it is. I will go get scans and hopefully, this is just a stinger or something but I don't know.
"I think we have the best team in the league, there's no doubt about it, and I've just got to regroup and get back out there."
