Why Bobby Jackson wants to ‘mirror’ Luke Walton as head coach of G League Stockton Kings
.jpg "Former Sacramento King Bobby Jackson is introduced during Friday evenings game, between the Sacramento Kings and San Antonio Spurs at Sleep Train Arena in Sacramento, California on February 27, 2015")
Bobby Jackson appeared to be at ease, focused and ready for his new role when he was formally introduced as head coach of the G League Stockton Kings.
Jackson, 48, spoke to the media during an introductory news conference Thursday with Paul Johnson, the Sacramento Kings vice president of player development and Stockton Kings general manager. Jackson thanked Johnson, Kings general manager Monte McNair and coach Luke Walton for trusting him to lead the organization’s G league team.
“I want to thank Paul for this great opportunity to be the next head coach for the Stockton Kings,” Jackson said. “It’s a great opportunity to further my coaching career. I also want to thank Luke and I want to thank Monte for looking at me and giving me the opportunity to be the head coach for the Stockton Kings. It’s been a long process for me, but I enjoy it. I think being able to grow and being able to reach that pinnacle in your coaching career is a wonderful thing, so I’m happy for the opportunity.”
Jackson has spent most of the past two decades with the Kings organization as a player, scout and assistant coach with an emphasis on player development. Now, the former NBA Sixth Man of the Year will be in charge of developing the organization’s young talent in Stockton. Jackson said he will follow certain directives from Sacramento to establish continuity and prepare players for the parent club.
“You want the G League to mirror the Sacramento Kings and I think that’s a great relationship that me and Luke already have,” Jackson said. “Whether it’s going to be offensive concepts or defensive concepts, everything is kind of going to be the same. He’s going to allow me to run whatever I want to run, but everything has to mirror that. … We’ve already talked about it and he said he’s going to give me the freedom to be a coach and run my own team, but it will mirror everything the Sacramento Kings are doing.”
Jackson elaborated on what it will mean to mimic what the Kings will emphasize in Sacramento.
“It’s having a great philosophy, building a family environment where guys come in and they understand we’re going to respect each other in the workplace,” Jackson said. “We’re going to work hard. We’re going to communicate at a high level. We’re going to be tough on the floor. We’re going to play with pace. So there are a lot of things we’re going to do that will require a lot of effort on both sides, whether it’s the coaching side or the players’ side. We just want to kind of build that family-based atmosphere that allows guys to be successful.”
Jackson’s staff will include assistant coach Akachi Okugo, a former Jesuit High School basketball standout who has held player development roles with the Kings since 2016. G League rosters haven’t been finalized, but Jackson believes he will have Louis King, who signed a two-way contract with the Kings in May, as well as 2020 second-round draft picks Robert Woodard II and Jahmi’us Ramsey.
“I think we’ve got three quality guys who are skilled and talented,” Jackson said. “They’re getting better. They’re working on their games as we speak right now. I think with the right coaching and being in alignment with what Coach Luke wants in developing these players, I think it’s going to be exciting. Jahmi’us is super athletic. Lou King … is long and athletic. Rob is long and athletic. So that’s three wing players that will be tremendous for us and we can build around that.”
The Kings opted out of the G League bubble last season and largely suspended operations during the coronavirus pandemic. The organization is rebuilding the staff after parting ways with former general manager Anthony McClish and coach Ty Ellis, who were doing good work in Stockton before COVID-19 caused the 2019-20 season to be suspended. Ellis’ contract was not renewed. McClish lost his job when the Kings made major staff cuts after incurring huge financial losses due to the pandemic.
Johnson and Jackson talked about positively impacting the Stockton community through outreach, education and appearances. G League schedules haven’t been released for the 2021-22 season, but the Kings are preparing to return to Stockton Arena for the first time since March 12, 2020.
“I’m really excited about the G League and getting back to it,” Johnson said. “I think it’s been a great place to develop players, develop staff, and that’s how we’re going to use it, and just build winning habits and make sure we have a winning environment for our players to grow. I think the G League is in a great place and I’m really excited about getting back to it next year.”
Jackson remains one of the most beloved figures in franchise history. He spent five seasons with the Kings at the peak of their success in the early 2000s, including an appearance in the Western Conference finals in 2002, and retired with the Kings in 2009.
Jackson started his coaching career with the Kings as an assistant on Paul Westphal’s staff in 2011. He joined the Minnesota Timberwolves as a player development coach in 2013 but returned to Sacramento in 2015. He spent three seasons as a college scout before becoming an assistant player development coach in 2018. He was promoted to assistant coach/player development coach in 2019 and was named head coach of the Stockton Kings last week.
“I came to Sacramento in 2000 and I think it’s been a great ride,” Jackson said. “Being able to work for a great organization that’s allowing me to grow as a coach is really important and I think that says a lot. So just being here and being in this city is tremendous, and now I get an opportunity to be a head coach, and learn and work with Paul, but also learn from Luke and Monte, and get that vision driven into our players and our staff. I’m looking forward to it.”
