Perhaps you don’t remember Pierre Jackson, but the former Baylor guard was drafted with the No. 42 pick in the 2013 NBA Draft by the Sixers. Except, the Sixers traded him to New Orleans with Jrue Holiday as part of that Nerlens Noel deal. #GoSixers. He was selected in the D-League draft, he played in Idaho (#GoStampede), and then signed to play in Turkey because D-League deals pay about as well as basketball-only blogging contracts (we really can’t do anything else in the world, so thank God someone will pay).
Then the Pelicans traded his draft rights back to the Sixers, and Jackson ruptured his Achilles’ tendon during his very first summer league game last summer. He still signed a one-year deal that Philly quickly waived when it became obvious he’d be out for the entire season (this is why everyone’s wondering about Wesley in Dallas).
But Pierre hung tough, like Sixers season ticket holders. He loved the City of Brotherly Love, and he wanted to return. Do you know how rare that is? You don’t? Well, it’s rare. Sam Hinkie is that upwardly mid-management boss who fired you from your first job out of undergrad, and Pierre wanted to go back and help him out.
Pierre Jackson on #Sixers: 'There's a little bit of loyalty here. I want to play in Philadelphia, man.' #76ers pic.twitter.com/uyZEFqfWPA
— Tom Moore (@TomMoorePhilly) June 16, 2015
So, they actually rewarded him with a partially guaranteed four-year deal ($3.7 million) this summer.
Free agent guard Pierre Jackson signed a four-year, partially guaranteed deal with Sixers, his agent Colin Bryant says.
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) July 15, 2015
And now he’s throwing down magically athletic dunks off the ceiling — he’s three inches taller than Spud Webb — and generally being awesome.
Put him in the Dunk Contest. #GoSixers
