Lauren Jackson couldn't hold back her immense joy when describing her experience watching Caitlin Clark.
Jackson, of course, is as decorated and accomplished as any player in the history of basketball -- a two-time WNBA champion, three-time WNBA MVP, seven-time WNBA All-Star, and Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame selection are among a laundry list of her accolades across both domestic and international competitions -- and the Australian has shared the floor with practically every legend of the game, but she's still been as absorbed by Clark as the rest of the sporting universe.
The question 'who do you enjoy watching these days?' is almost rhetorical at this point, but Jackson obliged.
"Who is everyone enjoying watching? Caitlin Clark," Jackson told ESPN.
So much was her giddiness on the topic that her mind eventually shifted to the fantasy world where the pair of No. 1 overall picks -- Jackson to the Seattle Storm in 2001, and Clark to the Indiana Fever in 2024 -- shared the floor.
"Man, I would've loved to have played with her," Jackson said. "As a point guard with that much vision and awareness, I've just never seen anything like it."
Clark is in the midst of her second season with the Fever, which came after a storied college career at the University of Iowa. The sharp-shooting, high-IQ point guard was named the WNBA Rookie of the Year and a WNBA All-Star in her first season, breaking multiple scoring and assist records, and becoming the first rookie to record a triple-double.
"I love her intensity," Jackson said of Clark.
"I love that. Obviously, she's a young player and still has so much development ahead of her. But, I think her smarts. The way she reads the game, the way she passes the ball, the way she shoots the ball. She can get to the basket, change of pace."
Jackson is preparing to be among the coaches and ambassadors for the NBA Rising Stars Invitational, which takes place in Singapore at the end of July, and her praise of Clark is noteworthy because the Australian has a case as one of the greatest female basketball players of all time, but it's also because of the names she's shared the floor with.
Diana Taurasi, Sue Bird, Maya Moore, Penny Taylor, Tina Thompson, and Sheryl Swoopes are just a few of the legendary athletes Jackson had as teammates over her long career in the WNBA, and yet she still has a deep admiration for what Clark is doing, on and off the court.
Clark has been a driving force of substantially increased exposure for the WNBA, with sports fans enamoured by her play-style, which is centred around her three-point shooting exploits and ability to make high-level reads as a point guard.
"I feel like she probably has the pressure of the world on her shoulders, and she's still able to get out there and perform, unafraid, no fear," Jackson said.
"Just, what an athlete. I am just so impressed with her. How awesome? I'm a fan."
Jackson also made sure to mention some of the other high-level players excelling in the WNBA right now, including the long list of fellow Australians.
"I love watching A'ja Wilson also," Jackson said. "She's the best player in the league right now; the most dominant player, that's for sure.
"I love 'Stewy' [Breanna Stewart], but then obviously our Aussie girls. Seeing Sami [Whitcomb] in Phoenix, Ezi [Magbegor] doing her thing in Seattle, [Jade Melbourne] in Washington, Steph Talbot. All of our girls, Alanna Smith in Minnesota; she's another one Australia should be watching... she's just consistent, gets the job done, and she's one of our stars."