Pooh
07-18-2004, 12:59 AM
Championship Experience, Versatility Enhance Jackson’s Value to Pacers
By Conrad Brunner
July 15, 2004
Before he arrived in San Antonio in 2001, Stephen Jackson was an un-kept promise. He had all-world talent, but all that had given him was the ability to traverse the globe in search of a place where it could be fulfilled.
With the guidance of then-assistant coach Mike Brown and teammates Tim Duncan and David Robinson, Jackson became a teammate, then a player. Ultimately, he became a champion.
The 26-year-old swingman officially joined the Pacers on Thursday, when Indiana finalized a trade that sent sixth man Al Harrington to Atlanta in exchange for Jackson, the Hawks’ leading scorer (18.1) last season.
“When you talk to Stephen, he talks more about winning than he does minutes or points and that’s what’s most impressive about the young man,” said team President Larry Bird. “He’s been very successful in his career in the NBA. He played on a championship team and he’s looking forward to having another opportunity to do that.”
Jackson, who signed a six-year contract reportedly valued between $38-44 million to facilitate the trade, was enthusiastic about joining an Indiana team that won 61 games and reached the Eastern Conference Finals last season. Though he enjoyed the best individual season of his career in Atlanta, it was of little satisfaction after experiencing a title with the Spurs the previous season because the Hawks won just 28 games.
“I’m the type of player that’ll do anything to win a game,” Jackson said. “If I have to start a fight, whatever I have to do to help my team win, I’ll do it. It’s just that simple. It’s about winning. A lot of guys come into this game for the wrong reasons. You play this game because you love it, you play this game to take care of your family, you play this game to win. I love to win. I hate losing. I’ll do anything to win.
“It’s a great fit for me for the simple fact I’m going to have a great relationship with Coach Brown and Coach (Rick) Carlisle, and the guys on the team are guys I grew up playing against all my life in summer leagues and AAU, so I know all these guys. And I think we all have the same common goal. I think these guys want to win. They were a game away from the Finals. I’ve been there. I know how it feels. I’m just excited, man. This is definitely something I want to be a part of.”
Jackson, 26, was a second-round pick of Phoenix in 1997 but was cut in training camp. The next three seasons were spent largely in frustration, searching for any kind of job with any kind of team. Finally, he landed with New Jersey in 2000-01, averaging 8.2 points in 77 games. But the Nets made no attempt to re-sign him and he moved to San Antonio.
Spurs coaches, well aware of both his talent and his lack of willingness to do the things necessary to fulfill it, decided upon a little test.
“The first year we had him in San Antonio, he was on the (injured reserve) most of the year,” said Brown. “At first, he didn’t understand why because he probably was the most talented player we had on that team, but he needed to mature a little bit so we stuck him there to see how he would respond. He was the best teammate on our team that first year. He was the first guy off the bench high-fiving his teammates during timeouts. He was in every single huddle. He was juiced at practice ready to play and compete and make the starters better, and it carried over into his second year when he got his opportunity to get out onto the floor and prove he could be a vital part of the organization.”
Jackson moved into the starting lineup for 58 games in 2002-03 and averaged 11.8 points. Along the way, he developed a knack for hitting clutch shots in key situations. He started all 24 playoff games, averaging 12.8 points
“I learned from him (Brown) how to be a professional,” Jackson said. “I was just playing off talent. I wasn’t really looking at the game as a job. But when I got to San Antonio I learned how to be a professional. I was around great guys – Tim Duncan, David Robinson, Steve Smith and those guys – and I learned how to approach the game. It’s not all about coming to the game and playing. You have to start at home. You have to start at shootaround. You have to take all of that seriously. During that time, I was able to sit down and focus on reading scouting reports, taking more pride in the game instead of just going out there and shooting shots.”
The Pacers first expressed interest in Jackson last summer but had no salary cap space available. He signed a short-term deal with Atlanta that would allow him to become a free agent this summer, in hopes a better opportunity would arise. That’s precisely what happened.
Though he has been a starter each of the last two seasons, Jackson has expressed no aversion to coming off the bench behind Reggie Miller at shooting guard. Capable of playing two positions, he also will spend some time at small forward.
“He made it clear before he ever got here that he’s a big Reggie Miller fan and in his mind he’s fine with coming off the bench,” said Carlisle. “He just wants to win. He went through a tough situation in Atlanta last year, going from a championship team to a team that won 20-some games. And you can tell he’s hungry to get back to the business of winning.”
How hungry?
“Just say I’m from Somalia and I need food,” Jackson said. “That’s how hungry I am.”
The Pacers paid a high price to acquire Jackson. Harrington was the runner-up for the NBA Sixth Man award last season and was the team’s third-leading scorer (13.3) and rebounder (6.4). But Harrington made little attempt to hide his desire to become a starter, something that simply wasn’t going to happen with the Pacers.
“I feel like I am an offensive player,” Harrington said at his introductory press conference in Atlanta on Thursday. “At times, that would get me in trouble in Indiana with my coach or the media or whatever. They felt that I thought to shoot the ball first. In this situation I’m in right here, it’s what the team needs. That’s just one of the challenges I’m ready to accept. And I know I’m going to be ready because I work hard in the summer. I don’t think anybody works harder than me. And that brings confidence in my offense and my total game.
“I wanted to come here just because I feel I have a lot more to offer. Indiana was a great situation. I have a tremendous amount of love and respect for (franchise CEO) Donnie Walsh. He’s a guy that showed tremendous confidence in me. He’s been behind me 100 percent through my ups and downs. But it just came to a point with that team where we had too many guys. Something had to give.”
At 6-8, 218 pounds, Jackson has the combination of length and athleticism that will allow the Pacers to match up better with bigger, quicker guards that gave the team problems last season. He has developed into a respectable 3-point shooter, hitting a career-best .340 from the arc last season. He also averaged 4.6 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.78 steals with the Hawks, all career highs.
Combine the skills with the experience of winning an NBA title, and Jackson fills needs both physical and mental.
“(Championship experience) means a lot,” said Bird. “No one in our locker room has ever experienced that. I know just going through the playoffs last year, each level gets tougher and tougher and tougher. I remember talking to Jamaal about it. And if you ask him, he can’t believe, going from the second round to the third round, how difficult it was. And getting to that final round, that’s why you pick up players like Stephen Jackson, to help you get there.
”Last year we were close but so far away. Hopefully this year we can make the adjustments needed to get this team the opportunity to win a championship.”
Jackson’s road to NBA prominence has been long and filled with detours. But he has no problems at all with either the journey or the destination.
“That’s the road God gave me to go: overseas, getting cut by teams, injuries, that’s the road I was supposed to go down,” he said. “To be here today, it makes the road even sweeter. I don’t regret anything I’ve been through. That’s just life. … If you don’t go through things, you don’t appreciate then you appreciate when you do get the good parts, like rings and stuff.
“Going through everything I went through, it’s a blessing. I wouldn’t change anything.”
A native of Port Arthur, TX, Jackson admittedly doesn’t know too much about his new home.
“Hoosiers the movie, that’s it,” he said. “I studied Jimmy (Chitwood)’s jump shot to try to make mine look like that. It didn’t work. All I know is Larry Bird and Hoosiers. And French Lick.”
He’ll learn soon enough.
In the meantime, he just needs to remember the way to the top, and to keep climbing.
Link (http://www.nba.com/pacers/news/news_jackson_040715.html)
By Conrad Brunner
July 15, 2004
Before he arrived in San Antonio in 2001, Stephen Jackson was an un-kept promise. He had all-world talent, but all that had given him was the ability to traverse the globe in search of a place where it could be fulfilled.
With the guidance of then-assistant coach Mike Brown and teammates Tim Duncan and David Robinson, Jackson became a teammate, then a player. Ultimately, he became a champion.
The 26-year-old swingman officially joined the Pacers on Thursday, when Indiana finalized a trade that sent sixth man Al Harrington to Atlanta in exchange for Jackson, the Hawks’ leading scorer (18.1) last season.
“When you talk to Stephen, he talks more about winning than he does minutes or points and that’s what’s most impressive about the young man,” said team President Larry Bird. “He’s been very successful in his career in the NBA. He played on a championship team and he’s looking forward to having another opportunity to do that.”
Jackson, who signed a six-year contract reportedly valued between $38-44 million to facilitate the trade, was enthusiastic about joining an Indiana team that won 61 games and reached the Eastern Conference Finals last season. Though he enjoyed the best individual season of his career in Atlanta, it was of little satisfaction after experiencing a title with the Spurs the previous season because the Hawks won just 28 games.
“I’m the type of player that’ll do anything to win a game,” Jackson said. “If I have to start a fight, whatever I have to do to help my team win, I’ll do it. It’s just that simple. It’s about winning. A lot of guys come into this game for the wrong reasons. You play this game because you love it, you play this game to take care of your family, you play this game to win. I love to win. I hate losing. I’ll do anything to win.
“It’s a great fit for me for the simple fact I’m going to have a great relationship with Coach Brown and Coach (Rick) Carlisle, and the guys on the team are guys I grew up playing against all my life in summer leagues and AAU, so I know all these guys. And I think we all have the same common goal. I think these guys want to win. They were a game away from the Finals. I’ve been there. I know how it feels. I’m just excited, man. This is definitely something I want to be a part of.”
Jackson, 26, was a second-round pick of Phoenix in 1997 but was cut in training camp. The next three seasons were spent largely in frustration, searching for any kind of job with any kind of team. Finally, he landed with New Jersey in 2000-01, averaging 8.2 points in 77 games. But the Nets made no attempt to re-sign him and he moved to San Antonio.
Spurs coaches, well aware of both his talent and his lack of willingness to do the things necessary to fulfill it, decided upon a little test.
“The first year we had him in San Antonio, he was on the (injured reserve) most of the year,” said Brown. “At first, he didn’t understand why because he probably was the most talented player we had on that team, but he needed to mature a little bit so we stuck him there to see how he would respond. He was the best teammate on our team that first year. He was the first guy off the bench high-fiving his teammates during timeouts. He was in every single huddle. He was juiced at practice ready to play and compete and make the starters better, and it carried over into his second year when he got his opportunity to get out onto the floor and prove he could be a vital part of the organization.”
Jackson moved into the starting lineup for 58 games in 2002-03 and averaged 11.8 points. Along the way, he developed a knack for hitting clutch shots in key situations. He started all 24 playoff games, averaging 12.8 points
“I learned from him (Brown) how to be a professional,” Jackson said. “I was just playing off talent. I wasn’t really looking at the game as a job. But when I got to San Antonio I learned how to be a professional. I was around great guys – Tim Duncan, David Robinson, Steve Smith and those guys – and I learned how to approach the game. It’s not all about coming to the game and playing. You have to start at home. You have to start at shootaround. You have to take all of that seriously. During that time, I was able to sit down and focus on reading scouting reports, taking more pride in the game instead of just going out there and shooting shots.”
The Pacers first expressed interest in Jackson last summer but had no salary cap space available. He signed a short-term deal with Atlanta that would allow him to become a free agent this summer, in hopes a better opportunity would arise. That’s precisely what happened.
Though he has been a starter each of the last two seasons, Jackson has expressed no aversion to coming off the bench behind Reggie Miller at shooting guard. Capable of playing two positions, he also will spend some time at small forward.
“He made it clear before he ever got here that he’s a big Reggie Miller fan and in his mind he’s fine with coming off the bench,” said Carlisle. “He just wants to win. He went through a tough situation in Atlanta last year, going from a championship team to a team that won 20-some games. And you can tell he’s hungry to get back to the business of winning.”
How hungry?
“Just say I’m from Somalia and I need food,” Jackson said. “That’s how hungry I am.”
The Pacers paid a high price to acquire Jackson. Harrington was the runner-up for the NBA Sixth Man award last season and was the team’s third-leading scorer (13.3) and rebounder (6.4). But Harrington made little attempt to hide his desire to become a starter, something that simply wasn’t going to happen with the Pacers.
“I feel like I am an offensive player,” Harrington said at his introductory press conference in Atlanta on Thursday. “At times, that would get me in trouble in Indiana with my coach or the media or whatever. They felt that I thought to shoot the ball first. In this situation I’m in right here, it’s what the team needs. That’s just one of the challenges I’m ready to accept. And I know I’m going to be ready because I work hard in the summer. I don’t think anybody works harder than me. And that brings confidence in my offense and my total game.
“I wanted to come here just because I feel I have a lot more to offer. Indiana was a great situation. I have a tremendous amount of love and respect for (franchise CEO) Donnie Walsh. He’s a guy that showed tremendous confidence in me. He’s been behind me 100 percent through my ups and downs. But it just came to a point with that team where we had too many guys. Something had to give.”
At 6-8, 218 pounds, Jackson has the combination of length and athleticism that will allow the Pacers to match up better with bigger, quicker guards that gave the team problems last season. He has developed into a respectable 3-point shooter, hitting a career-best .340 from the arc last season. He also averaged 4.6 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.78 steals with the Hawks, all career highs.
Combine the skills with the experience of winning an NBA title, and Jackson fills needs both physical and mental.
“(Championship experience) means a lot,” said Bird. “No one in our locker room has ever experienced that. I know just going through the playoffs last year, each level gets tougher and tougher and tougher. I remember talking to Jamaal about it. And if you ask him, he can’t believe, going from the second round to the third round, how difficult it was. And getting to that final round, that’s why you pick up players like Stephen Jackson, to help you get there.
”Last year we were close but so far away. Hopefully this year we can make the adjustments needed to get this team the opportunity to win a championship.”
Jackson’s road to NBA prominence has been long and filled with detours. But he has no problems at all with either the journey or the destination.
“That’s the road God gave me to go: overseas, getting cut by teams, injuries, that’s the road I was supposed to go down,” he said. “To be here today, it makes the road even sweeter. I don’t regret anything I’ve been through. That’s just life. … If you don’t go through things, you don’t appreciate then you appreciate when you do get the good parts, like rings and stuff.
“Going through everything I went through, it’s a blessing. I wouldn’t change anything.”
A native of Port Arthur, TX, Jackson admittedly doesn’t know too much about his new home.
“Hoosiers the movie, that’s it,” he said. “I studied Jimmy (Chitwood)’s jump shot to try to make mine look like that. It didn’t work. All I know is Larry Bird and Hoosiers. And French Lick.”
He’ll learn soon enough.
In the meantime, he just needs to remember the way to the top, and to keep climbing.
Link (http://www.nba.com/pacers/news/news_jackson_040715.html)