Sports Briefs Wednesday

BASKETBALL

Lauren Jackson announced her injury-forced retirement, ending an illustrious career that saw her star for the WNBA's Seattle Storm and lead Australia to four Olympic medals.

At a Basketball Australia media conference, the 34-year-old Jackson, the WNBA's most valuable player three times, the last time in 2010, said right knee and left Achilles tendon injuries forced her to end a career that began in 1997.

She had been named on Australia's Opals squad for the Rio Games in August, but recent fitness testing convinced her she would not be able to play in a fifth Olympics. Jackson made the retirement announcement at Canberra's Australian Institute of Sport, where her teammates are…