KrispyLakersNation
It’s common knowledge that Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors have completely changed basketball as we know it. After a long period in which inner scorers and mid-market magicians had largely dominated the NBA, things began to change. With the emergence of the dominion of the warriors came an era which the 3-pointer defined.
Teams have started trying to replicate Golden State’s high-volume offensive, which has seen countless players add Curry-esque pull-up 3-pointers to their repertoire. With the change also came the addition of 3-point shooting of centers such as Brook Lopez and Nikola Jokic. Today, the basketball game looks very different than it did 20 years ago.
While Steph Curry is getting much credit for the spark of change that has spread across the league, Kenny “The Jet” Smith wants Mark Jackson to get his recognition. He spoke of Jackson’s impact on the NBA on “The Draymond Green Show.”
Both spoke about Jackson no longer coaching following blatant homophobia reports and religious preaching, with Smith saying.
“There are lies about Mark Jackson right now that I hear, and they go, ‘Yo, hey, your boy did this’ and ‘Why your boy said that?'” Smith said. “And I’m like, ‘No, that’s a lie. I speak to the dude every day. Like, I speak to Mark at least once a week. No, Mark doesn’t think like that. He didn’t say that. No, he didn’t do that.
“So, now as an owner or a general manager they’re hearing the lies and they’re not doing the research to find the truth, because the truth would say exactly what you said. … He (Steph Curry) was going to be traded until Mark Jackson got there. He saved not only the franchise, he saved the league. … It’s a travesty that he’s not coaching basketball.”
NBA Champion turned analyst Brendan Haywood shared that Jackson was being blackballed.
“Yes Mark Jackson is blackballed. I think that [Andre] Iguodala talked about that. He gave some insight into it and I think Mark Jackson is blackballed because he didn’t get along with his front office. I think Mark Jackson blackballed because some of his religious beliefs got mixed in with the team as far as, some Christian beliefs don’t blind with the LGBTQ community,” said Haywood.
“I also think some of the altercations with his assistant coaches and how that situation ended up. So, Mark Jackson is definitely being blackballed. We know the guy can coach, but a lot of people are afraid to touch him because of those issues. And I think LGBTQ issue is really big. A coach that spoke out against that community in this climate, it is hard to hire that guy it is.”
As Haywood mentioned, Andre Iguodala addressed what happen to Mark Jackson during his appearance at the Breakfast Club in 2019.
“It was the politics,” said Iguodala. “Once they want you out they’re going to find something.”
“So it was the church in the facility…On Wednesday night service he would set up a computer and he’d just preach,” he explained. “One particular issue—from what I heard—were his views on gender or marriage or what the Bible said on your sexuality.”
Charlamagne Tha God would then asked Iggy do you think Mark Jackson is blackballed from the NBA?
Iggy would reply “I do.”
As recently as last month, Jackson has been on record many times regarding his wish to coach again. Jackson was on Instagram Live with her daughter Heavyn Jackson double-down on wanting to practice again.
““I look forward to the day that somebody gives me an opportunity to be a head coach, and lead an organization,” said Jackson. “I truly look forward to that day.”
His cousin Dallas Mavericks assistant coach, God Shammgod also shared that he believed Jackson would coach again.
“I think he will be it just a matter of time. You just have to be patient God is going to take care of everything,” said Shammgod.
