Greg Jackson (basketball, born 1952)

Gregory Jackson (August 2, 1952 – May 1, 2012) was an American basketball player. He won a collegiate national championship at Guilford College and later played in the National Basketball Association (NBA).

Greg Jackson
Personal information
Born(1952-08-02)August 2, 1952
Brooklyn, New York
DiedMay 1, 2012(2012-05-01) (aged 59)
Brooklyn, New York
NationalityAmerican
Listed height6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Listed weight180 lb (82 kg)
Career information
High schoolTilden (Brooklyn, New York)
CollegeGuilford (1970–1974)
NBA draft1974: 5th round, 86th overall pick
Selected by the New York Knicks
PositionPoint guard
Number7, 24
Career history
1974New York Knicks
1975Phoenix Suns
Career highlights and awards
Stats Edit this at Wikidata at NBA.com
Stats Edit this at Wikidata at Basketball-Reference.com

Jackson, a 6'0" point guard from Samuel J. Tilden High School in Brooklyn, New York. He attended West Columbus High School 1969–1970, Cerro Gordo, NC.[1] He helped lead West Columbus to its first and only NCHSAA 2A State Basketball Tournament championship.[2] He played his college basketball at Guilford College in Greensboro, North Carolina. There he teamed in the backcourt with future NBA All-Star Lloyd Free (now World B. Free) to lead the Quakers to the 1973 National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics national championship.

After his college career was over, Jackson was drafted in the fifth round of the 1974 NBA draft (86th pick overall) by his hometown New York Knicks. His tenure with the Knicks would prove to be brief, as he played only 5 games before being waived on October 28, 1974. Later in the season, he was signed by the Phoenix Suns, where he finished the season. For the year he averaged 3.7 points and 2.0 assists over 49 games. In the offseason, Jackson was traded to the Washington Bullets, but never played in the NBA again.[3] During his playing career, Jackson also played for the Allentown Jets of the Eastern League.[4]

Following the close of his professional career, Jackson became a community leader in Brooklyn as the long-time manager of the Brownsville Recreational Center. In this capacity he ran numerous programs aimed at keeping inner-city youths off the streets and focused toward positive efforts ranging from sports to the arts.[4]

Jackson died on May 1, 2012.[4]

References edit

  1. ^ "West Columbus High Yearbook 1970".
  2. ^ "1969–70 West Columbus team wins hoops title".
  3. ^ "Greg Jackson". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved 2012-05-31.
  4. ^ a b c Bruce Weber (May 2, 2012). "Greg Jackson Dies at 60; Ran a Haven in Brooklyn". New York Times. Retrieved May 31, 2012.