Lauren Jackson to wait until March to decide on Rio Games

FILE –Australian centre Lauren Jackson jumps to score against the US during the London 2012 Olympic Games women’s semifinal basketball match between Australia and the US in London on August 9, 2012. AFP PHOTO /EMMANUEL DUNAND / AFP / EMMANUEL DUNAND

MELBOURNE, Australia — Former WNBA MVP Lauren Jackson will wait until March to make a final decision on whether to play in her fifth Olympics for Australia.

The 34-year-old former Seattle Storm forward has been struggling with a right knee injury and spent time in hospital last month.

The Olympics are in August and Jackson says “Rio is still my goal … I had a really good discussion with our coach Brendan Joyce yesterday and he said ‘We want you to stay here until March and see what happens.'”

Jackson won Olympic silver medals in 2000, ’04 and ’08 and collected bronze at London in 2012, when she was Australia’s flag bearer at the opening ceremonies.

She remains hopeful of recovering in time, saying “I wouldn’t be doing it if I didn’t think there was a little bit of hope.”