Former point guard and head coach Mark Jackson has not seen time with an NBA team since 2014. He has instead spent almost five years as an analyst for ESPN.
Jackson is likely enjoying his new 0ff-court role. But FOX Sports analyst and Pro Football Hall of Famer Shannon Sharp thinks Jackson deserves better.
On Thursday, Sharp and the rest of the “Undisputed” crew speculated on the next head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers. Jackson's name quickly came up. Via FOX Sports on Twitter:
"Why hasn't Mark Jackson been given another opportunity? I thought he did a good job. He laid the foundation [in Golden State]. I don't even know if he's gotten an interview." — @ShannonSharpe pic.twitter.com/0DCPAoDSbB
— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) April 4, 2019
Analyst Stephen Jackson, a guest on Thursday's show, agreed that Jackson would be a good fit for the Lakers job:
“He has to coach men. He can't coach boys. Because the way he moves, he's a very religious guy…everybody is gonna respect everybody.
“…I think he would be a great coach for the simple fact 0f his knowledge of the game, he's well respected, and he can get the best out of his players. It's proven. Golden State.”
Jackson played in parts of 17 NBA seasons. The former point guard coached the Golden State Warriors from 2011-14. He led the team to the playoffs in the 2012-13 and 2013-14 seasons, breaking Golden State's short drought. However, after a first round loss to the Los Angeles Clippers in 2014, the team decided to move on. They let Jackson go and instead hired Steve Kerr, who then led the Warriors to their first title in 40 years the next season.
Since his dismissal, Jackson has not caught on with another NBA team. He interviewed for the New York Knicks' head coaching job in 2018, but lost out to David Fizdale. After a disappointing season, Lakers head coach Luke Walton is now on the hot seat, unlikely to make it through the offseason. If Jackson is still interested in returning to the court, he could be the perfect candidate for the job.
Follow Us
Subscribe