Mark Jackson was fired by the Warriors in 2014 despite leading the Dubs to consecutive playoff appearances for the first time in over 20 years.
In three NBA seasons, Jackson went 121-109 and developed All Stars Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green.
Since Jackson’s firing, the Warriors have won multiple championships and Jackson has been named a coaching candidate but nothing has materialized.
Million Dollar Question: Is Mark Jackson being blackballed?
“Yes,” Mark Jackson’s former Indiana Pacers teammate, Al Harrington told me on the Heavy Live With Scoop B Show while promoting Viola, the nation’s leading producer and licensed wholesaler of premium quality cannabis products.
“Obviously he’s been blackballed. It’s just no way around it. I’m not sure who it was, but somewhere in that organization and I think Jerry West was there and I’m sure he has a lot of clout within sports period and I’m not saying it’s him but somebody blackballed him. Because it just doesn’t make sense because he actually was a good coach – you know, there’s coaches that’s gotten situations and coached for three years/ three seasons and won you know…35 games, 40 games and they’re still resurfacing either as an assistant coach or as another head coach, but for him not to ever get any coaching jobs and all that…he’s been blackballed.”
Drafted at the age of 18, Al Harrington was one of the youngest NBA players in league history. The Orange, New Jersey native played 16 seasons in the NBA and suited up for the Indiana Pacers, Atlanta Hawks, Golden State Warriors, New York Knicks, Denver Nuggets, Orlando Magic, and Washington Wizards. Harrington briefly played overseas with the Fujian Sturgeons of the Chinese Basketball Association.
“Mark’s an unbelievable basketball mind and he scarified a lot playing in the NBA, helping grow the league, he’s a great guy in the league, he never got into any trouble; like you know and that’s what we’re talking about – we talk about Black Lives Matter and this whole thing and it makes no sense that…how do you NOT take care of your own in the league? So I’m hoping one day somebody will give him a shot like, even with the Knicks. Like, how can Mark Jackson NOT get an interview for the New York Knicks? How do you just give that to Tom Thibodeau? Like I get it, but…and Tom Thibodeau is another one. Like, I don’t mind talking trash about coaches because I’m gonna own a team. I ain’t coaching nobody. Like, at the end of the day what the fuck has he done to deserve a coaching job like that? Like, what has he done? What has he done…nothing!”
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Mark Jackson’s Pacer Teammate Reveals Why Ex-Warriors Coach is Blackballed