“We got into a big fight in the club the night before” – Stephen Jackson recalls when Gregg Popovich first made him a starter originally appeared on Basketball Network.
Stephen Jackson‘s journey to a professional basketball career was far from smooth. Before earning his spot in the NBA, he spent years playing in various international leagues. Jackson’s break came during the 2000-01 season when the New Jersey Nets allowed him to showcase his talent. Despite a solid performance that season, the Nets chose not to extend his contract, leaving him without a team once again.
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That’s when Jackson received the call that would change his life forever.
The San Antonio Spurs, under legendary coach Gregg Popovich, were looking to bolster their roster. They needed someone who could provide scoring off the bench and play solid perimeter defense. The 6’8″ forward fit the bill perfectly.
In an appearance on “Byron Scott’s Fast Break,” Jackson recalled the circumstances that surrounded his first start for the Spurs during the 2002-03 season and how he thought he was going to get cut from the squad after getting involved in a brawl in a club before a road game in Seattle.
Clubbing gone wrong
Although he was playing in only his third season in the Association, Jackson was already earning the trust of the Spurs’ veteran core led by Tim Duncan — he consistently scored in double figures while coming off the bench. However, during a road trip to Seattle, where the Spurs were going to play the SuperSonics, a night out turned into a mess.
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“I went out with Rashard Lewis the night before, right? This before social media. So we got into a big fight in the club the night before. I’m talking about, B, it was bad,” Jackson shared. “We got into some fight — some guys at the club. His sister had got into it with some people, and then she got into it, so we end up getting into it.”
As the night turned into day, Jackson feared the worst as Popovich called him up to his hotel room.
“So in my mind, he heard about what happened last night, right? It’s the whole thing. I’m like, ‘Ah, bro, it’s over. I’m in trouble now,'” he narrated. “I get upstairs. I knock on the door. Tim opens the door. So I’m like, ‘Oh no, he told Tim,’ cuz Tim — he was the one. He was vouching for me all year. He was telling Pop to play me, right?”
But much to Stephen’s surprise, Pop spoke to him about an entirely different thing.
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“I sit down. First thing Pop say: ‘Well, kid, we going to start you tonight.’ I’m like, ‘Oh man. Oh. Oh, okay.’ He’s like, ‘Yeah, you going to start now. You know, you’ve been playing good off the bench,” the retired forward added.
Disappointing the veteran
While the worst was over, Jackson still had to speak to Steve Smith, his mentor and the player whose starting spot he was taking. At that point, he learned that playing for Pop and the Spurs meant everyone was a professional and put the team first.
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“I walk in the locker room and I see Steve Smith. So I’m like, let me just walk by and go to my locker, right? He said, ‘What you doing? What’s up, boy? Hey, you supporting me, I’m going to support you. There ain’t no beef between me and you. Don’t make them think that. Like, you go out there and do your job. Just like you supporting me — you know what I’m saying?'” he remembered.
Jackson had a modest line of nine points, four rebounds, three assists and a steal in his first start that season. The Spurs, though, came away with a 91-88 win over the Sonics.
Later that season, he earned his first and only NBA title as the Spurs defeated the New Jersey Nets in the NBA Finals, 4-2.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jun 22, 2025, where it first appeared.