Mark Jackson was fired by the Golden State Warriors back in 2014 and when he was ousted, Steve Kerr took over. This turned out to be horrible timing for Jackson as the Warriors went on to win three of the next five NBA Championships and turned into one of the greatest dynasties ever assembled. For years, sports analysts have made sure to mention Jackson’s efforts when speaking on the success of the Warriors and how he was ultimately the architect of that team.

While speaking to Ian Begley of SNY, Jackson spoke on the credit he deserves in relation to the Dubs. As he explains, Klay Thompson and Steph Curry weren’t the players they are now, when he coached them. He makes the argument that if they had been in their primes, he would have won those championships and not Kerr.

Stephen Dunn/Getty Images

“Steve Kerr is a heckuva basketball coach and an even better person. So he’s done a heckuva job with the Golden State Warriors. (But) I would say get the facts straight,” Jackson said. “The fact is we were a top five defense over the course of that tenure and we were a top 10 offense when it was all said and done. You have to understand – and these guys will admit it – the Steph Currys, the Klay Thompsons, the Draymond Greens: the team that I had are not the same individuals (that they were when I coached them). They look the same, and they’re the same people , but they’re not the same players that they were when I first got ahold of them.”

If you’re a Warriors fan, you’ve got to be thanking Jackson for the foundation he laid. Without him, the Warriors dynasty probably wouldn’t exist.

[Via]

As a child, Mo’Nique knew she wanted to see her name in lights. When she saw how the Jacksons were admired by millions and wherever they went was met by screaming fans, little Mo’Nique wanted to grow up to be someone adored by the masses. The Oscar-winning actress is appreciative of her entertainment industry journey, but during her visit to The David Banner Podcast, she admitted that she used to put fame over everything in her life, including her family. 

Alberto E. Rodriguez / Staff / Getty Images

In the late 1990s, Mo’Nique was married to Mark Jackson for four years. The former couple share a son, Shalon Jackson, and the comedian told The David Banner Podcast that in those early days of her career, relishing in fame and all that came with it was her priority. “[There was a] time that, when he was a little boy, I wasn’t interested in being a mother,” Mo’Nique admitted. “I was interested in being a star. I was interested in being famous. And I wasn’t interested in being a wife.”

She added, “I was interested in taking pictures and red carpets and signing autographs and traveling the world. So, I didn’t really put the focus in. Now that I’m 52 and he’ll be 30, I pay for that. There’s a price you have to pay for that and I had to apologize to my son because I said to him, “I don’t want you to think that your story is not valid ’cause I didn’t tuck you in. I didn’t read you those stories. I didn’t show up at sporting events.'”

Mo’Nique believed that because she was bringing in money and give him anything he asked for, she was being a good parent. “You see this big house? You see that basketball court out back? You see that pool? Don’t you come complaining about nothing!” Mo’Nique recalled telling her son. “There was a time when this entertainment was a priority because as a little girl I wanted to be famous… I craved that… When that moment happened, that’s all that it was.” Check out Mo’Nique on The David Banner Podcast below.

Over the weekend, the Brooklyn Nets shockingly fired their head coach, Kenny Atkinson. It has been reported that Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving had no interest in playing for Atkinson and that they felt like he wasn't the right guy to lead them to an NBA championship. Now, the Nets are playing with an interim head coach and this summer, they will be looking to hire someone for the full-time gig.

Early reports suggest Irving wants Ty Lue to be the head coach although it remains to be seen if that comes to fruition. During a recent episode of ESPN's First Take, Stephen A. Smith spoke about the Nets head coach situation and had an interesting suggestion in terms of who should take the lead. Of course, Smith mentioned Lue but he also mentioned Mark Jackson who now works as a color commentator. Perhaps the most shocking suggestion was legendary head coach Gregg Popovich. 

New York Knicks fans around the world were jumping for joy yesterday when it was revealed that president Steve Mills was fired from his post. For years, decades even, Knicks fans have been lamenting about how bad their front office is. While much of this has to do with owner James Dolan, many were happy to see Mills get his walking papers. In light of this firing, the Knicks will now have to get themselves a new president and rumors are already starting to swirl.

Today, the always entertaining Stephen A. Smith went on First Take and made a bold suggestion in regards to who the Knicks should hire. Smith seems to think Inside The NBA analyst Kenny Smith should get the job since he is a sound basketball mind who is also from New York. Smith also went on to say the Knicks should hire Mark Jackson as head coach.