ESPN: JACKSON ADMITS MARIJUANA USE BEFORE GAMES

Published 11:36 pm Monday, January 30, 2017

Former Lincoln High and NBA player Stephen Jackson admitted during a podcast hosted by actor Michael Rapaport that he occasionally smoked marijuana before playing in games, ESPN.com reported Monday.

Jackson, who is an analyst for ESPN’s coverage of the NBA, told “The War at Home” actor that, a couple of times, he had “great games” after smoking.

“It’s been some games where I smoked before the game and was on the bench after three minutes sitting on the sideline, ‘Please calm down, this high has to calm down’ — I done shot three shots that went over the backboard, like, I’m going to be honest, like, ‘Ahh, I gotta calm down.’”

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Don Nelson, who coached Jackson on the Golden State Warriors, was aware of his marijuana use, Jackson told Rapaport.

Jackson helped Lincoln to a 35-3 record and a state championship in the 1994-95 season.

About I.C. Murrell

I.C. Murrell was promoted to editor of The News, effective Oct. 14, 2019. He previously served as sports editor since August 2015 and has won or shared eight first-place awards from state newspaper associations and corporations. He was born in Memphis, Tennessee, grew up mostly in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, and graduated from the University of Arkansas at Monticello.

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