Stephen Jackson Biography: Interesting Facts About The Retired NBA Star

The name Stephen Jackson always rings a loud bell whenever discussions on basketball or the NBA pop up. Stephen is a retired professional American basketball icon whose career days were graced with lots of awards and achievements including the NBA championship title in 2003.

During his 21 years of active playtime, he played for numerous notable NBA clubs such as the New Jersey Nets, Indiana Pacers, Golden state warriors, and the Los Angeles Clippers to mention just a few.

Stephen Jackson Biography

The athlete was born Stephen Jesse Jackson in Port Arthur Texas, the USA on the 5th April 1978. He was born to parents identified George Aldridge and Judyette Jackson. Stephen was raised by his mother and being a single parent; she had to take up two jobs just to cater for the family. On his part, Stephen had to work in his grandfather’s restaurant at Port Arthur as a dishwasher at the age of 16 years in order to add up to his mother’s effort in fending for the family.

In pursuit of his education, Stephen got enrolled into Lincoln High school where he joined the basketball team of the school and later helped the team into a state championship. Stephen was later transferred to Oak Hill Academy in Virginia and during his studies at Oak Hill, Stephen earned the All-American honours in 1996 after he outshined all other players like Kobe Bryant, O’Neal. He later became the highest scorer during the Mc Donald All-American games.

However, while he strived hard to gain acceptance into the University of Arizona, Stephen was said to be ineligible academically, but Stephen was not deterred and he forged ahead until he managed to find his way into Butler County Community College of Eldorado in Kansas, though it was just for a semester, thus he could not display his basketball skills at the college.

How his professional basketball career began

Stephen Jackson kick-started his professional basketball career in 1997 after being selected 42nd overall in the 1997 NBA Draft by the Phoenix Suns. In his first stint with the Suns, Stephen wasn’t given the chance to feature in the team’s games instead he was waived by Suns but Stephen then luckily joined La Crosse Bobcats where he shone at the Continental Basketball Association with the team for both on and off seasons and he recorded an average of 2.7 points within 12.7 minutes per game.

In the meantime, in 1998 Stephen also briefly played for Sydney Kings in the Australian National Basketball league where he featured only in four games. He later moved to Venezuela and the Dominican Republic. To this end, Stephen, played with the Venezuelan team, Marinos De Oriente between 1999 and 2000 before he left to join the Dominican Republic teams San Carlos as well as Pueblo Nuevo.

Stephen made his NBA debut when he joined the New Jersey Nets in the 2000-01 seasons, and while with the Nets Stephen played up to 77 games with the team as he averaged 8. 2 points in each game. In 2001, Stephen got signed by San Antonio Spurs, and upon his arrival at the Spurs, Stephen was placed on the injured reserve list as he missed out of 45 games. Nevertheless, in the second season, he was on form as he averaged 3.9 points and 1.1 rebounds. Also in the 2002-03 NBA season, Stephen became a regular starter as he played 80 games, averaging 11.8 points 3.6 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 28.2 minutes per game. This went on until Stephen helped the Spurs to earn their second NBA title and he became the third top scorer before he left Spurs for Atlanta Hawks.

Following his exit from Spurs, he agreed on a two-year contract with Atlanta Hawks in the 2003 season. It was during his playtime with the Hawks that his best ever professional encounter was recorded, in this regard, he made an average of 18.1 points with 4.6 rebounds and 3.1 assists as he featured in 80 games for the Hawks. Also, it was with the Hawks that Stephen recorded a career-high 42 points and he became the overall 6th top scorer in NBA at that period.

Despite his immense contributions to the Hawks, during the 2004-05 seasons, Stephen was traded off to Indiana Pacers in exchange for Al Harrington in a six-year contract worth $38.3million. After his debut with the Pacers, Stephen recorded an average of 18.7 points as well as 4.9 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game.

Stephen Jackson got involved in a fray with fans at the Palace of Auburn Hills which got him suspended from 30 games with no pay in addition to being fined $250 as well as undergoing anger management classes with community service while he was placed on one-year probation. Upon his return from suspension, Stephen continued to prove his relevance as he averaged 21.7 points per game within 22 games. Similarly, in the 2005 season, Stephen played 81 games with an average of 16.4 points and 3.9 rebounds as well as 2.8 assists per game.

Stephen was again traded by Pacers to the Golden State Warriors in exchange for Mike Dunleavy, Troy Murphy, Ike Diogu and Keith Mc Leod of the Warriors. Impressively, `in his first appearances with the Warriors on January 20, 2007, Stephen recorded 29 points with 7 rebounds and 4 assists.

Subsequently, he averaged 22.8 points with 4.6 assists as he led the Warriors to their first playoffs in the past 12 seasons. Later Stephen along with Baron Davis and Matt Barnes were named team captains of the Warriors and he also received the NBA Western Conference Player of the week after he averaged 25.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 3.8 assists.

Even as they won 48 games, the Warriors could not make it to the playoffs in the Western Conference. Outstandingly, during the 2008-09 NBA season, Stephen registered three games of 30 points and 10 assists within a five-game span following the footsteps of Lebron James in 2007. Due to his unmatched performance, the Warriors offered him a three-year contract extension.

Nevertheless, his 2008-09 season encounter was abruptly terminated following the toe surgery he had on the 31st of March 2009, yet he had an average of 20.7 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 6.5 assists before his departure.

November 2009 saw Stephen being traded to the Charlotte Bob. On the 23rd of June 2011, Stephen was again traded to Milwaukee Bucks. Even though his stay with the Bucks was brief, his performance there wasn’t very impressive as it was constantly marred by a hamstring injury and in addition to having issues with club’s coach and due to this he was later traded back to Golden State Warriors, but on his return to the Warriors Stephen was not given a chance to play, rather, he was traded to San Antonio Spurs where he was placed as a second-team player, which was a position he never found himself as a top player.

By July 22, 2015, Stephen decided to retire from his Basketball career, but in 2017 he joined the BIG3 Basketball league.

Read Also: Taylor Griffin Biography- Facts About The Former Basketball Player

Who Are The Wife And Children Of Stephen Jackson?

He has been married to his heartthrob, Renata White with whom he walked down the aisle on July 11, 2009, at the Westminister United Methodist church. The reception ceremony was held at the Zaza hotel. The union has been blessed with a daughter, Skylar Jesse Jackson whom they welcomed on the 10th of February, 2014.

It was revealed that in 2013, Renata White Jackson filed for divorce from her husband. The ex-basketball player decided to hit back at his wife by selling off his assets including her Bentley, insisting he would rather dispose of everything than for her to have it. Stephen Jackson requested that the divorce suit filed by Renata should be thrown out because they were still very much involved with each other and were having sex.

It is noteworthy that prior to this period, Stephen had two other children with his ex-girlfriend Imani Showalter whom he earlier wanted to wed, though the wedding was nipped in the bud just hours before the vows.

He Is A Philanthropist

On a personal note, Stephen is regarded as a strong philanthropist, as he was involved in humanitarian activities which included organizing essay competition for high school students and he was awarded the title of the League Community Assist Awards in March 2008. He also established the Stephen Jackson Academy of Arts Science and Technology, during the 2008 summer which offered an after-school program for the less privileged students in his community in addition to building a public gymnasium.

Additionally, Stephen has also been involved with music, as he released a rap mixtape title What’s A Lockout, in addition to releasing a song titled Lonely At the Top in his other mixtape titled Jack of All trade.

Stephen Jackson’s Net Worth

Being among the top-rated players, Stephen is also placed as one of the richest retired NBA players as his net worth is estimated to be about $25 million. He has amassed his wealth from his basketball career and other businesses.

Complete profile of Stephen Jackson