Mark Jackson was mentioned as a potential head coaching candidate for NBA teams this offseason, but he will remain in the broadcast booth for at least another year. One of his former players has a theory on why Jackson was passed over once again.
During a Reddit AMA on Sunday night, former NBA big man Andrew Bogut was asked why he thinks Jackson has not landed another head coaching job. Bogut, who played for Jackson with the Golden State Warriors, mentioned how Jackson has a reputation for bringing religion into the locker room.
“I think everyone deserves a second chance and he will eventually get another chance. But the well noted church within a locker room I think hurts his job prospects…” Bogut wrote.
Jackson is said to be very religious, and he tried to incorporate that into his coaching methods when he was with the Warriors from 2011-2014. A recent report revealed that ESPN spiked a 2016 story that would have gone into a lot more detail about that. Jackson apparently used a lot of religious rhetoric and accused players of “being influenced by the devil.” He also supposedly said he would “lay hands on them to cleanse them of their evil spirits.”
That is likely what Bogut was referencing.
Jackson, 57, interviewed for at least one head coach job this cycle and was considered a legitimate candidate. It is possible he could get a job in the future, but it seems more unlikely with each year he is passed over.
