by Liaudwin Seaberry Jr. —
Former NBA star Stephen Jackson achieved numerous accolades throughout his successful pro basketball career, which included winning a championship with the San Antonio Spurs in 2003.
After his 14-year NBA run, Jackson embarked upon a media career that now includes co-hosting a popular sports podcast. “All the Smoke,” with Matt Barnes brings on both sports and non-sports guests.
Jackson’s winning portfolio, however, now focuses on issues larger than basketball. He campaigns for change within inner-city communities across the nation, including Memphis.
While Jackson’s Battle in the Bluff 2 high school basketball showcase presented by Showtime was taking place at Bartlett High (Dec. 9-11), Jackson made one of his serve-the-people moves.
He partnered with the Memphis Branch NAACP chapter to distribute gift baskets to families throughout the Cleaborn Pointe neighborhood. His partnership with the NAACP through the Holiday Basket Giveaway showed that an individual does not have to hail from a city to make a difference there.
Jackson visited Memphis last year, along with fellow former NBA star Rasheed Wallace, who now is an assistant coach for the University of Memphis men’s basketball team. The aim was to help make a positive difference in neighborhoods struggling with disinvestment, crime, blight and other maladies associated with poverty.
His basketball connections in Memphis gave him a familiarity with the city’s issues and an understanding of how he could help address some of the problems.
Terrance Burney, leader of the “I See Greatness in You” foundation, partners with Jackson in nonprofit events around the nation.
“Jackson and I are from the inner city, and we know the struggles and negative influences many of the young kids face nowadays,” Burney said. “However, events like this show that change can be made, even if it takes a long time to manifest that change into action.”
Shelby County Commissioner Van Turner Jr., who also is president of the local NAACP chapter, was ecstatic about the youths working with Jackson.
“When kids see people like Mr. Jackson coming to help them give to the community, it provides an extra motivation to them because it’s rare that many of these youths see positive role models, Turner said.
“As one young man put it, we have to start making it cool to look up to positive people doing good things for the community.”
