Young fans get to know Stephen Jackson more from the All The Smoke podcast. This podcast has seen the two co-hosts go beyond the boundaries of sports. Matt Barnes even claimed that future fans might only recognize them from the show. But there’s so much more to these basketball stars and close friends who one day decided to step into the sports broadcast realm and conquered it. Before taking over the sports podcast world, Jackson had a legendary career. While he certainly earns more now in his new job and through his endeavors, how much did the NBA champ earn during his NBA career?

Growing up, Jackson started working in his grandfather’s restaurant. He was raised by his single mother, Judyette. Despite having a chance to join the University of Arizona, his low SAT scores caused trouble for him. Alongside Kobe Bryant and others, Jackson was the leading scorer in the 1996 McDonald’s All-American Boys Game. However, his academic ineligibility became an issue for his career. 

The sudden passing of his half brother also left a mark on him. “You can’t tell me seeing his brother die that way hasn’t had an effect. To me, it’s why he is always coming to the help of his teammates,” Pacers CEO Donnie Walsh once said about Jackson.

Finally, when Mike Bibby’s mother took him to the Phoenix Suns’ tryout, his skills caught the eye of Danny Ainge, who was the team president at the time. He was drafted as the 42nd pick but he was waived later. But he still remembers spending his entire first paycheck in a day. He and Mike Bibby went to a mall and bought everything. “I signed with the Phoenix Suns. They gave me a check for $25,000 cash. I blew it all in one day. “Me and Mike Bibby went to the mall and bought everything we could find,” Jackson stated on the Iced Coffee Hour podcast.

The beginning of Stephen Jackson’s NBA career

Following this, he had stints in the CBA, NBL, and more. His proper rookie season in the NBA was in 2001. That year, he started in 40 of the 77 games he played for the Nets. This was the beginning of his NBA career. Following this, he went on to play for eight more NBA teams including Houston Rockets. An opportunity came for him when he was playing for the San Antonio Spurs. He went on to win a championship title that year.

“The first year we had him in San Antonio, he was on the (injured reserve) most of the year. At first, he didn’t understand why because he probably was the most talented player we had on that team, but he needed to mature a little bit so we stuck him there to see how he would respond,”  former coach Mike Brown said.

He further added, “He was the best teammate on our team that first year. He was juiced at practice ready to play and compete and make the starters better, and it carried over into his second year when he got his opportunity to get out onto the floor and prove he could be a vital part of the organization.”

As per Celebrity Net Worth, he earned nearly $11,390,800 playing for the San Antonio Spurs. During his time with the Indiana Pacers, he was involved in the “Malice at the Palace” incident and was fined nearly $250,000. Throughout his NBA career, he earned nearly $65.6 million.

Stephen Jackson’s journey to the broadcast world

After a stint with the Los Angeles Clippers, Jackson took the decision to retire in 2015. In 2017, he joined the famous Big3 basketball league founded by rapper Ice Cube. This time as a player. He played for the Killer 3s. But he became more successful as a coach. He became the head coach of the team Trilogy, winning back-to-back Big3 championships in 2021 and 2022. He is also involved in other tournaments.

Later, he established the Stephen Jackson Academy of Art, Science, and Technology in Port Arthur, Texas. In 2019, Jackson teamed up with his friend and former teammate Barnes. The two have achieved massive success with this initiative. They have even started a spirit brand, Anillos Mezcal. 

“This new spirit ensamble is carefully crafted from 100% Agave (Tobala & Espadin) in Oaxaca, Mexico, boasting a fresh aroma and sweet taste. Master Mezcalero Edgar Martínez Juárez handpicks and harvests the agave hearts at their prime. Not only are the agaves top quality, the process of this 5th generation distiller is able to bring out these amazing flavors.  Anillos brings a unique, gentle smokiness and a smooth taste, perfect for sipping straight or mixing into classic cocktails,” the official page of the brand read.

Jackson has amassed a net worth of $20 million, and with the growing popularity of the podcast world, his endeavors are set to reach new heights.