Mark Jackson is widely credited for his role in building the foundations of what turned out to be a Golden State Warriors dynasty. Despite this fact, however, Jackson has failed to secure a job as an NBA head coach since he parted ways with the Dubs in 2014.
A bombshell report by NBA insider Ethan Strauss could shed light on this situation. Apparently, Jackson's behavior was one of the reasons behind the Warriors' decision to fire him at the conclusion of the 2013-14 season. It wasn't all about the Dubs failing to make significant progress in the playoffs. As it turns out, Jackson's highly controversial actions also led to the organization's decision to give him the ax.
Jackson has already spoken out in the past about how the “narrative” surrounding his Warriors tenure has been a major hurdle in his ability to secure a new job. Jackson is an ordained minister and according to reports, his faith played a significant role in how he handled matters within his squad. It did not always work out well for him or the Warriors.
That's not all, though. Apparently, Jackson also used homophobic slurs during his time as the Dubs head coach:
Two sources relaying that Jackson had referred to Jason Collins and team president Rick Welts, both openly gay, as “penis grabbers” who were “going to hell.”
On ESPN spiking Mark Jackson stories https://t.co/PfNTRY9Si4 pic.twitter.com/k7CA22oegX
— Ethan Strauss (@SherwoodStrauss) May 10, 2022
That's simply appalling. If this is true, there is no excuse for Jackson and it isn't at all surprising that teams from around the league have kept their distance.
It is worth noting, however, that all this supposedly happened nearly a decade ago. Eight years is a pretty long time and so much can change during such an extended period. Perhaps Jackson has now had a change of heart. For all we know, all of these accusations could even be untrue. Whatever the case may be, everyone deserves a second chance, right?
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