Stephen Jackson facts for kids
Jackson with the Golden State Warriors in 2008
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 5, 1978 Houston, Texas, U.S. |
| High school |
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| Listed height | 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) |
| Listed weight | 220 lb (100 kg) |
| Career information | |
| NBA Draft | 1997 / Round: 2 / Pick: 42nd overall |
| Selected by the Phoenix Suns | |
| Pro career | 1997–2014 |
| Career history | |
| 1997–1998 | La Crosse Bobcats |
| 1998 | Sydney Kings |
| 1999, 2000 | Marinos de Oriente |
| 1999, 2000 | San Carlos |
| 1999 | Fort Wayne Fury |
| 2000 | Pueblo Nuevo |
| 2000–2001 | New Jersey Nets |
| 2001–2003 | San Antonio Spurs |
| 2003–2004 | Atlanta Hawks |
| 2004–2007 | Indiana Pacers |
| 2007–2009 | Golden State Warriors |
| 2009–2011 | Charlotte Bobcats |
| 2011–2012 | Milwaukee Bucks |
| 2012–2013 | San Antonio Spurs |
| 2013–2014 | Los Angeles Clippers |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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| Career statistics | |
| Points | 12,976 (15.1 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 3,328 (3.9 rpg) |
| Assists | 2,634 (3.1 apg) |
Stephen Jesse Jackson (born April 5, 1978) is a former American professional basketball player. He played for 14 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) with several teams. These teams included the New Jersey Nets, Atlanta Hawks, Indiana Pacers, Golden State Warriors, Milwaukee Bucks, Charlotte Bobcats, San Antonio Spurs, and Los Angeles Clippers. Stephen won an NBA championship with the San Antonio Spurs in 2003. Later in his life, he became a voice for civil rights.
Contents
- Early Life and Basketball Beginnings
- Professional Career
- Starting His Pro Journey
- First NBA Team: New Jersey Nets
- Winning a Championship with the San Antonio Spurs
- Time with the Atlanta Hawks
- Playing for the Indiana Pacers
- Joining the Golden State Warriors
- Playing for the Charlotte Bobcats
- Time with the Milwaukee Bucks
- Return to San Antonio
- Short Stint with the Los Angeles Clippers
- Retirement from Basketball
- BIG3 League
- Podcasting Career
- Player Profile
- Personal Life
- Images for kids
- See also
Early Life and Basketball Beginnings
Stephen Jackson was born in Houston, Texas. He grew up in Port Arthur, Texas. His mother, Judyette, raised him as a single parent and worked two jobs. As a teenager, Stephen helped out at his grandfather's soul food restaurant. He would wash dishes and clear tables there.
Stephen led Lincoln High School to a state championship in his junior year. Because of academic challenges at Lincoln, he moved to Oak Hill Academy in Virginia. There, he earned All-American honors in 1996. He was the top scorer in the 1996 McDonald's All-American Boys Game. This game featured future NBA stars like Kobe Bryant and Jermaine O'Neal.
After high school, Stephen planned to join the University of Arizona. However, his test scores meant he couldn't play college basketball right away. He attended Butler County Community College for a short time but did not play basketball there. Before the 1997 NBA draft, Stephen played in some practice games with the Phoenix Suns. His strong play, especially against Suns player Cedric Ceballos, impressed the team. This led to the Suns drafting him a few months later.
Professional Career
Starting His Pro Journey
Stephen Jackson was picked 42nd overall in the 1997 NBA draft by the Phoenix Suns. However, he did not play for them and was released. He then played six games with the La Crosse Bobcats in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA). He also played four games in Australia with the Sydney Kings in 1998. Stephen continued his basketball journey by playing professionally in Venezuela and the Dominican Republic. In 1999, in Venezuela, he averaged 22.8 points per game.
First NBA Team: New Jersey Nets
Stephen did not play an NBA game until the 2000–01 season. This was with the New Jersey Nets, and it was officially his rookie year. He played in 77 games, starting 40 of them. He averaged 8.2 points per game and became good friends with star player Stephon Marbury.
Winning a Championship with the San Antonio Spurs
Before the 2001–2002 NBA season, Stephen signed with the San Antonio Spurs. He faced some injuries and missed 45 games. His former assistant coach, Mike Brown, said Stephen was a great teammate. He worked hard in practice to help the starters improve.
During the 2002–2003 NBA season, Stephen became a very important player for the Spurs. He played in 80 games, starting 58 of them. He averaged 11.8 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game. In the 2003 NBA Playoffs, Stephen was a key part of the team. He helped the Spurs win their second NBA championship. He averaged 12.8 points per game during the playoffs, making him the team's third-highest scorer. He showed great shooting skills in important games, helping the Spurs win the Western Conference Finals and the NBA Finals.
Time with the Atlanta Hawks
In 2003, Stephen became a free agent. He signed a two-year contract with the Atlanta Hawks. He had his best professional season yet, averaging 18.1 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game. On March 12, he scored a career-high 42 points against the Washington Wizards. After the All-Star Break, he was the NBA's sixth-leading scorer.
After the 2003–04 NBA season, he was traded to the Indiana Pacers. This happened after he signed a six-year contract.
Playing for the Indiana Pacers
In his first season with the Indiana Pacers in the 2004–05 NBA season, Stephen averaged 18.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game.
On November 19, 2004, Stephen was involved in a difficult situation during a game. He was suspended for 30 games without pay. This meant he lost a lot of salary. He was also ordered to take anger management classes and do community service.
The Pacers' chances for a good postseason were affected by player suspensions. Stephen averaged 18.9 points per game in the first round of the 2005 NBA Playoffs. The Pacers lost in the next round, with Stephen leading the team in scoring during the playoffs.
In the 2005–06 NBA season, Stephen played in 81 games for the Pacers. He averaged 16.4 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game. He showed his scoring talent with a 31-point game against the Sacramento Kings. In that game, he made three-pointers on four straight possessions.
In October 2006, Stephen was involved in another incident outside of a club. He was charged with criminal recklessness and other minor offenses. He pleaded guilty to criminal recklessness and received one year of probation. He also had to pay a fine and do community service. He served a seven-game suspension at the start of the 2007–08 NBA season because of these legal issues.
Joining the Golden State Warriors
On January 17, 2007, the Pacers traded Stephen to the Golden State Warriors in a big trade involving eight players. Stephen joined Al Harrington, Šarūnas Jasikevičius, and Josh Powell in exchange for other players.
In his Warriors debut on January 20, 2007, Stephen scored 29 points. On February 5, he scored 36 points against his former team, the Indiana Pacers. He led the Warriors to a 113–98 victory.
In the Warriors' playoff series against the Dallas Mavericks in the 2007 NBA Playoffs, Stephen played very well. The Warriors won the series, which was a big upset. Stephen scored 33 points in the final game of the series. He made seven three-pointers, which was a team playoff record at the time. This record has since been broken by Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson.
His teammate, Baron Davis, said Stephen was the "heart and soul" of the team. He added that Stephen was a "big-game performer" and a leader. Stephen finished the series averaging 22.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 2.0 steals per game. The Warriors then lost to the Utah Jazz in the next round.
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Before the 2007–08 NBA season, Stephen was named a team captain. He won the NBA's Western Conference Player of the Week award in November 2007. The Warriors won 48 games that season but missed the playoffs. This was because all eight playoff teams in the Western Conference won at least 50 games.
During the 2008–09 NBA season, Stephen had three games with at least 30 points and 10 assists. He was the first NBA player to do this since LeBron James in 2007. He also achieved his first career triple-double (30 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists) against the Phoenix Suns on February 4. In November 2008, Stephen signed a new contract with the Warriors.
Stephen's season ended early in March 2009 due to a foot injury. He had surgery to fix the problem. He averaged 20.7 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 6.5 assists per game that season.
Playing for the Charlotte Bobcats
On November 16, 2009, Stephen was traded to the Charlotte Bobcats. He set a Bobcats team record by scoring 43 points against the Houston Rockets on January 12, 2010. The NBA named him the Eastern Conference's Player of the Week on January 17. Stephen helped lead the Bobcats to their first-ever playoff appearance. They lost in the first round to the Orlando Magic.
In the 2010-11 NBA season, Stephen recorded the first triple-double (24 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists) in Bobcats history. This happened against the Phoenix Suns on November 20, 2010. However, the Bobcats did not make the playoffs in 2011.
Time with the Milwaukee Bucks
On June 23, 2011, Stephen was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks as part of a three-team deal. His time with Milwaukee was short and challenging. He had ongoing hamstring issues and disagreements with his coach. This led to less playing time for him. On March 13, 2012, Stephen was traded back to the Golden State Warriors.
Return to San Antonio
Without playing a game for the Warriors, Stephen was traded back to the Spurs on March 15, 2012. He played a different role this time, coming off the bench. This was because of the great play of a younger player, Kawhi Leonard. Stephen had to adjust to San Antonio's organized offense.
The Spurs had a great regular season and reached the Western Conference Playoffs as the top team. They lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference Finals. Stephen was praised for his defense against Kevin Durant. In the final game of the series, Stephen made his first six three-point attempts. In the playoffs, he shot very well from the field and from three-point range.
On April 12, 2013, Stephen was released by the Spurs.
Short Stint with the Los Angeles Clippers
On December 10, 2013, he signed with the Los Angeles Clippers. Stephen struggled with the Clippers. In nine games, he averaged a career-low 1.7 points per game. On January 7, 2014, he was released by the Clippers.
Retirement from Basketball
On July 22, 2015, Stephen Jackson announced his retirement from professional basketball. During his 14-year NBA career, he earned a lot of money from his salary.
BIG3 League
In 2017, Stephen joined the BIG3 basketball league. He played for the Killer 3s team.
In 2021, he became the head coach of Trilogy. He led the team to win two BIG3 Championships in a row (2021 and 2022).
Teams As player:
- 2017–2019 Killer 3's
As coach:
- 2021–present Trilogy
Accomplishments
- 2x BIG3 Champion (2021, 2022)
- Trash Talker Of The Year (2021)
- Coach Of The Year (2021)
Podcasting Career
Stephen Jackson hosts a digital video podcast called All the Smoke with Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson. This podcast had the last exclusive interview with Kobe Bryant before he passed away in January 2020.
Player Profile
Stephen Jackson was an NBA swingman. He was known for being a good outside shooter, able to score from anywhere on the court. Even though he sometimes made mistakes, Stephen was a skilled playmaker. He had good passing abilities and could see the court well.
Larry Brown, a famous coach, said Stephen was an "elite player" and very smart. Former Golden State Warriors coach Don Nelson said Stephen was a great player who played defense every night. He could also make plays and shoot. Stephen's coach in Indiana, Rick Carlisle, called him a "terrific all-around player." He said Stephen was experienced, strong, and quick. NBA legend Larry Bird called Stephen the toughest player in the league. He praised Stephen's ability to "do every aspect of the game at a high level."
Theo Ratliff, a former teammate, said Stephen should be an All-Star. Tim Duncan once called Stephen the "ultimate teammate." Sports reporter Michael Smith described Stephen as "articulate, charming, and thoughtful."
Marcus Thompson, a writer for the Contra Costa Times, said Stephen helped younger players. He would take them shopping, give advice, and listen to them. He also said Stephen was kind and made others feel special. Gwen Knapp of the San Francisco Chronicle said Stephen was "charming and engaged" at a community event.
Former coaches Rick Carlisle and Don Nelson have often spoken about Stephen's good character. Former Pacers executive Donnie Walsh said, "He's a great team guy."
Personal Life
In December 2011, Stephen, using the name Stak5, released a rap mixtape called What's a Lockout?. It featured other artists, including rapper Scarface.
Imani Showalter, Stephen's former fiancée and the mother of two of his children, was on the reality show Basketball Wives: LA.
Activism and Charity
During a suspension at the start of the 2007–08 NBA season, Stephen spent a lot of time helping the community in Oakland. He organized events for children. He also honored his teammate Matt Barnes and his mother by wearing Barnes' number on his headband. Stephen even offered to delay his return from suspension if Barnes needed support at home. He attended Bible study with teammates during his time with the Warriors. Stephen also worked with Southwest Airlines to create an essay contest for elementary school students from his hometown. Ten students got to meet Stephen and attend a game.
The NBA recognized Stephen for his charity work and gave him the league's Community Assist Award in March 2008. That month, he participated in a rally to stop violence. He also worked with Grammy Award-winner John Legend to raise money for a campaign. Stephen helped start a new basketball court and launched his own foundation. With the Good Tidings Foundation, Stephen opened the Stephen Jackson Basketball Court in San Francisco, California, on April 11, 2008. The mayor of San Francisco even declared April 12, 2008, as Stephen Jackson Day.
Stephen started the Stephen Jackson Academy of Art, Science, and Technology in the summer of 2008 in Port Arthur. The school building was finished in 2009. As of 2012, the academy offered after-school programs for local children and had a gym for public use. Stephen hoped to expand the academy to become an accredited school. However, in 2018, Stephen said he would sell the academy. He was frustrated that the city had not supported his investment in the gym or his goal of starting an elementary school.
Stephen was a close friend of George Floyd. George Floyd gained international attention when he was killed by police in Minneapolis on May 25, 2020. Stephen received media attention for a powerful speech he gave at a protest rally in Minnesota. He said, "I'm here because they're not gonna demean the character of George Floyd, my twin." Stephen and George called each other "Twin" because they looked alike.
Stephen said he was inspired by Malcolm X. He stated, "Every black man is influenced by Malcolm X." He added, "I strive to be like him or even better than him."
Images for kids
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Jackson with the Golden State Warriors in 2008
See also
In Spanish: Stephen Jackson para niños
