Former NBA star Stephen Jackson spoke recently on the ‘DraftKings’ podcast. In the interview, he was asked about players in the NBA he competed with. Jackson used the question to claim that he was a better player than Ray Allen, even though he didn’t have a better career than him.
“I didn’t have a better career than him, but when I played against him, I had some great games. I just feel that. I’m not saying Ray wasn’t great, but I’m a basketball player. I wasn’t one-dimensional. I just think I was a better player in-game.”
“But when it came to lining up on the court, against a lot of guys that’s Hall of Famers, I bust they a** a lot of nights. It’s just the truth. I should have been an All-Star in multiple years. But I am someone who helped two teams (in) my first three years there get to the playoffs after double-digit year droughts. That has to say something.”
This is definitely a hot take from Jackson and one that doesn’t necessarily invite a lot of agreement from basketball fans. While Jackson was an important piece on a championship-winning team with the 2003 Spurs, Jackson was never called upon to deliver at the high level that Ray Allen was.
Jackson never played at the caliber that Allen did in his career, even though he was a reliable scorer. Allen was considered by many to be one of the greatest shooters in NBA history, and a key piece on the 2008 Celtics, which many consider to be one of the greatest teams in NBA history.
While Jackson’s pride in his own abilities is commendable, it is a stretch to suggest that he was a better player than Allen. Having good games against Allen is a great cap in Jackson’s feather, but it doesn’t make him a better player by any stretch of the imagination.
Ray Allen Was An All-Time Great
A quick look at their career numbers and accolades shuts down any notion of Stephen Jackson being a better player than Ray Allen.
During his career, Ray Allen averaged 18.9 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 3.4 assists. He was a 10-time NBA All-Star, made 2 All-NBA teams, and won 2 NBA championships.
In fact, Allen is credited with making one of the most clutch shots in NBA history, when he hit a dagger against the Spurs in Game 6 of the 2013 NBA Finals, which allowed the Heat to push the series to a Game 7 and win the NBA championship.
As for Stephen Jackson, he averaged 15.1 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 3.1 assists in his career, and won an NBA championship with the Spurs in 2003. Jackson was never an All-Star, nor was he named to any All-NBA teams.
Jackson may not like Allen, or think that he wasn’t as good as him, but that doesn’t make his statements about being a better player than him true.
As good as Jackson was, and as great a role he was able to play, Ray Allen was one of the true pioneers of the game, with many crediting him for setting the stage for players like Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson to take the NBA over with their shooting ability.
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