“Going to hell” – Mark Jackson allegedly called gay Warriors president ‘p*nis grabber’
Milwaukee Bucks interview Mark Jackson for Head Coach position, resurfacing his troubling anti-gay comments.
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Mark Jackson as an NBA commentator (L- Image via David Zalubowski/AP)
Before the Golden State Warriors turned into a dynasty, Mark Jackson played an integral role for the franchise. He sparked the shift in mentality and gameplay. Jackson also coached the team for their first consecutive playoff appearances in over 20 years. However, he was fired after the 2013-14 NBA season, which made way for Steve Kerr as the Head Coach.
Although Jackson did a decent job as coach for the Warriors, all wasn’t well between him and the organization. According to Warriors owner Joe Lacob, the former coach had trouble getting along with people in the organization. Jackson was allegedly creating a divisive attitude in the team with an ‘us against them’ environment. Moreover, he was also reported to have made some scathing anti-gay comments. The comments specifically targeted Jason Collins and Warriors president Rick Welts.
Although the controversy surrounding Mark Jackson was dormant, the comments have resurfaced. The triggering cause for this was the Milwaukee Bucks‘ interest in interviewing Mark Jackson as the new Head Coach for the team. However, many are now keen to see how he would go about his job now. After all, being a Head Coach is one of the most crucial jobs in the NBA.
Jackson, on the other hand, has not coached an NBA team for over ten years now. For a team that was thwarted in a disappointing first-round series, the Bucks need a new revolutionary change in gameplay. However, whether or not Jackson would be the right choice remains to be seen.
Related: Who is the Golden State Warriors owner Joe Lacob?
What did Mark Jackson say about Jason Collins?
Back in 2014, Jason Collins was the first ever openly gay player in the NBA, courtesy of the Brooklyn Nets. During a shoot-around on a road trip before Collins signed, reporters asked then-Golden State Warriors Head Coach Mark Jackson his opinion of several big men as possible additions. Eventually, Collins’ name was brought up. Jackson, according to a source close to the team, responded by saying, “Not in my locker room.”
The then Head Coach of the Warriors received a lot of criticism for his comments. After Rick Welts, the only openly gay senior executive officer gave his good wishes to Collins, Jackson made a statement. “I will say this. We live in a country that allows you to be whoever you want to be. As a Christian man, I serve a God that gives you free will to be who you want to be. As a Christian man, I have beliefs of what’s right and what’s wrong. That being said, I know Jason Collins, I know his family, and am certainly praying for them at this time,” he said.
However, after his transparent anti-gay sentiments, Jackson was fired due to quite a few reasons. Many of which were lack of living up to the progressive views of the Bay Area and the Warriors organization. Although, Rick Welts still credits Jackson for the vital contributions he made to the team. It was under his guidance the Warriors started playing like genuine contenders for a championship. In the next eight years to follow, Golden State turned into a dynasty and won four NBA championships under Steve Kerr.
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