Stephen Jackson slammed the NBA players of today for putting money before winning championships in a viral video. Jackson considers the players who aren’t dedicated or don’t prioritize winning a championship to be “losers.”
This take comes from Jackson who felt that he had to sacrifice and gave his all to the game while playing for the San Antonio Spurs and earning a championship. The 14-year NBA veteran’s trigger was unknown. However, Jackson made it obvious that the only change that separates today’s players from being champions is their mentality.
With all the money being spent, the desire to win a championship is just lower than it has ever been. According to Jackson, winning the championship would have been the height of accomplishment for him if he had been playing in the league today, therefore, there is no way that he would have chosen a $200 million contract over it.
The NBA champion from 2003 claimed that contemporary players do not care enough about winning or losing and that they are content at the end of the day if they are earning a solid life.
“A lot of guys in the NBA right now that are making money, but they really don’t care if they win or lose as long as they are getting the paycheck, and I’ve never been like that.”
Stephen Jackson
The Case For Stephen Jackson’s Statements
There is absolutely an argument to be had for Jackson’s statement about players and championships. In this day and age, more money is being given in contracts than ever before in the history of the NBA. Many players today opt to secure a hefty contract as opposed to going for championships.
However, the counterargument is that NBA players do not know how long their careers are going to last. The unknown of how many years every player has plays a massive factor in contract negotiations. Financial stability is something that is hard to come by long term in professional sports. Having the ability to cash in on a big contract can provide wealth for generations to come.
Jackson echoes statements that many former athletes feel today. However, it is hard to blame players for wanting to do whatever puts them in the best financial spot for their lives.
