Plenty of former and current NBA players have graced the "All The Smoke" podcast, with many of their sit-downs providing fans with prime comedy and entertainment. In a recent episode, hosts Stephen Jackson and Matt Barnes were brainstorming on who to bring on the show next when Jackson surprisingly mentioned Larry Bird.
The Boston Celtics legend doesn't seem to appear regularly on podcasts or for interviews. But he could make an exception for "Stack," especially since Bird was instrumental in giving him his first lengthy deal in the NBA. That got a shout-out from the retired journeyman.
"I remember sitting on the block in P.A. and my homeboy outside, getting a phone call from Larry Bird," Jackson said . "I answer the phone, 'Hello.' Like, 'Stephen Jackson? This is Larry Bird.' I'm tripping out, me, everybody, my homeboy. Everybody like, 'What the fu*k?' I stood up. He was like, 'Welcome to the Indiana Pacers.' I remember vividly when you called and gave me my six-year deal, and I never got a chance to tell you thank you. But we would love to have you on our show."
Getting a new lease on life in Indiana
Jackson had a polarizing start to his professional hoops career. After getting drafted in the second round of the 1997 draft but never playing in an NBA game until the 2000-01 season, he found himself suiting up for the Spurs from 2001 to 2003.
He helped the franchise win the 2003 title, showing his clutch shooting in some playoff games that year. One of Jackson's most memorable games with San Antonio is taking over Game 6 of the 2003 Finals . On the flip side, he was also extremely erratic, turning the ball over 26 times over the series' six contests in the championship bout.
Expecting a lucrative offer from the Spurs, "Captain Jack" got spurned. He decided to sign with the Atlanta Hawks, where he "balled out" and apparently caught the attention of Bird, who got hired as the Pacers ' president of basketball operations in the 2003 offseason.
The summer of 2004 saw Indiana trade for Jackson and give him a six-year, $38.3 million contract. Not bad for a former second-round pick who couldn't even find a team that wanted him earlier in his career.
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Jackson's best years
In hindsight, Bird evidently made the right move because Jackson turned out to be a reliable scorer and wing defender for the Pacers. Unfortunately, the team couldn't achieve its potential after its involvement in the Malice at the Palace in 2004. Stack received the second-highest punishment among all the players involved in the brawl.
The Texas native was on his way to what could have been the best seasons of his NBA stint. Instead, the Pacers languished in mediocrity and shipped Stack to the Golden State Warriors in the middle of the 2006-07 season.
Perhaps the retired swingman should thank Larry Legend for that as well, as he also thrived in Golden State. He was an essential piece of the "We Believe" Warriors unit, with his positional versatility allowing the squad to field a deadly small-ball lineup that helped the Dubs upset the first-seeded Dallas Mavericks in the 2007 playoffs.
Related: Larry Bird admits that he never liked the three-point shot: "The only time I practiced them was right before the three-point contest in 1988"
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