Mark Jackson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Mark Jackson

Jackson with the Golden State Warriors in 2012
Personal information
Born	(1965-04-01) April 1, 1965 (age 60) Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
High school	Bishop Loughlin (Brooklyn, New York)
Listed height	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Listed weight	195 lb (88 kg)
Career information
College	St. John's (1983–1987)
NBA Draft	1987 / Round: 1 / Pick: 18th overall
Selected by the New York Knicks
Pro career	1987–2004
Coaching career	2011–2014
Career history
As player:
1987–1992	New York Knicks
1992–1994	Los Angeles Clippers
1994–1996	Indiana Pacers
1996–1997	Denver Nuggets
1997–2000	Indiana Pacers
2000–2001	Toronto Raptors
2001–2002	New York Knicks
2002–2003	Utah Jazz
2004	Houston Rockets
As coach:
2011–2014	Golden State Warriors
Career highlights and awards
NBA All-Star (1989) NBA Rookie of the Year (1988) NBA All-Rookie First Team (1988) NBA assists leader (1997) Consensus second-team All-American (1987) NCAA assists leader (1986) 2× First-team All-Big East (1986, 1987) Big East Defensive Player of the Year (1987) Haggerty Award (1987)
Career statistics
Points	12,489 (9.6 ppg)
Rebounds	4,963 (3.8 rpg)
Assists	10,334 (8.0 apg)

Mark A. Jackson (born April 1, 1965) is a former professional basketball player from the United States. He played as a point guard in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He also became a coach and a sports commentator.

Mark Jackson played college basketball for the St. John's Red Storm. The New York Knicks picked him in the first round of the 1987 NBA draft. He played for many NBA teams from 1987 to 2004. These teams included the Knicks, Los Angeles Clippers, and Indiana Pacers.

After his playing career, Jackson became a TV commentator for ESPN and ABC. He worked with his former coach Jeff Van Gundy. In 2011, he became the head coach for the Golden State Warriors. He led them to the playoffs for the first time in over 20 years. After his time as coach ended in 2014, he went back to being a commentator.

Early Life and College Basketball

Mark Jackson grew up in Queens, New York. He was known as one of the best young point guards in the country. He played high school basketball at Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School in Brooklyn. He was also a famous streetball player in New York City.

Jackson was a college basketball star at St. John's University. He played with Chris Mullin, who later became an Olympian and NBA All-Star. Mullin taught him how important hard practice was.

While playing in college, Jackson developed a special way to shoot free throws. He would cup his thumb and index finger around the rim. This helped him focus on the basket. He used this method throughout his professional career. It helped him make about 77% of his free throws.

Professional Playing Career

New York Knicks (1987–1992)

The New York Knicks chose Mark Jackson as the 18th pick in the 1987 NBA draft. He joined Patrick Ewing and Charles Oakley. Together, they helped the Knicks become a strong playoff team in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

In his first year, Jackson averaged 13.6 points and 10.6 assists per game. This earned him the Rookie of the Year award in 1988. He was the lowest draft pick to win this award in many years.

In 1989, Jackson had another great season. He helped the Knicks win their division title. He also made his only NBA All-Star Game appearance. The Knicks faced Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls in the playoffs. Jackson famously stuck out his tongue at Jordan during a game. Jordan then played even better, and the Bulls won the series.

Los Angeles Clippers (1992–1994)

After the 1991–92 season, Jackson was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers. He joined Danny Manning and Ron Harper. With coach Larry Brown, they helped the Clippers reach the playoffs two years in a row. This was a rare achievement for the Clippers at that time.

Indiana Pacers (1994–1996)

In 1994, Jackson joined the Indiana Pacers. He played with stars like Reggie Miller, Rik Smits, and Antonio Davis. For five of the next six seasons, Jackson helped make the Pacers a top team.

Denver Nuggets (1996–1997)

Jackson was traded to the Denver Nuggets before the 1996–97 season. He played there for a short time.

Return to the Pacers (1997–2000)

The Pacers traded to get Jackson back in 1997. His return helped the team play better. He eventually played in his only NBA Finals in 2000. The Pacers lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in six games.

Toronto Raptors (2000–2001)

Jackson left the Pacers to play for the Toronto Raptors. He played 54 games for them before being traded back to the Knicks.

Return to the Knicks (2001–2002)

Jackson returned to the New York Knicks in 2001. He became the starting point guard again. He helped the Knicks reach the playoffs that season. The next year, the Knicks did not make the playoffs for the first time in 15 seasons.

Utah Jazz (2002–2003)

In 2002, Jackson signed with the Utah Jazz. He played as a backup to John Stockton. During this season, Jackson moved to second place on the list of all-time assists leaders. His teammate Stockton was in first place.

Houston Rockets (2004)

Jackson signed with the Houston Rockets in 2004. He played in 42 games as a backup to Steve Francis. He finished his playing career at the end of that season.

Player Skills and Impact

Mark Jackson is 6th on the all-time assists list with 10,334 assists. He played 1,296 games in his career. Even though he won Rookie of the Year in 1988, he only made one All-Star appearance.

Jackson is also known for causing an NBA rule change. He used to dribble with his back to the basket for a long time. The league then created the "five-second back-to-the-basket violation." This rule stops players from doing that for more than five seconds. It is sometimes called the "Mark Jackson Rule."

Jackson also helped make the "teardrop" shot more popular. This shot allowed him to shoot over taller defenders.

Coaching Career

Golden State Warriors (2011–2014)

On June 6, 2011, Mark Jackson became the head coach of the Golden State Warriors. He was the first coach hired by the team's new owners. The Warriors had only made the playoffs once in the 17 years before he arrived. Jackson promised to make them a strong defensive team.

In his first year, the team had a tough season due to injuries. But in the 2012–13 season, with strong play from Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, Jackson led the Warriors to a 47–35 record. They made the playoffs for the first time since 2007. The Warriors won their first-round series against the Denver Nuggets. They then lost to the San Antonio Spurs.

The next season, the Warriors improved to 51 wins. This was their first time winning 50 or more games since 1993. They reached the playoffs in two seasons in a row, which hadn't happened since 1992. However, their time in the playoffs ended in the first round. On May 6, 2014, Jackson's time as head coach of the Warriors ended. The team felt a different coach was needed to win an NBA championship. The next season, the Warriors won their first NBA title in 40 years.

Broadcasting Career

Jackson worked as a TV analyst for the New Jersey Nets and for ABC. He often worked with Mike Breen and his former coach Jeff Van Gundy.

In 2014, Jackson returned to ESPN as a game analyst. In 2023, there was some discussion about his vote for the NBA MVP award. He later apologized for not including Nikola Jokić in his top five choices. Jackson stated that Jokić is one of the greatest players ever.

Later in 2023, Jackson and Van Gundy left ESPN. Other commentators took their places on the main broadcast team.

Personal Life

Mark Jackson married singer and actress Desiree Coleman in 1990. They had four children together. They divorced in 2017. His son, Mark Jackson Jr., played college basketball. Mark is also the older brother of Troy Jackson, a famous streetball player known as "Escalade." Troy passed away in 2011. Mark Jackson is a Christian and a licensed minister.

Jackson has some family background from the Dominican Republic. This meant he could have played for their national basketball team. However, FIBA did not allow him to join the team.

NBA Career Statistics

Regular season

• Due to a mid-season trade ended up playing a total of 83 games.

Playoffs

Head Coaching Record

Images for kids

• Menéndez brothers basketball card.jpg

  A basketball card featuring Mark Jackson with the Menéndez brothers in the background.