Stephen Jackson Is Good For Basketball

I must admit, I find it hilarious to imagine David Stern sitting in his office, receiving news of this, and actually being relieved.


mortified

Jackson is the very personification of the "thug" image Stern hates with such vitriol, the image he works with such vigor and zeal to eradicate from the NBA.

And yet now Jackson is in the heretofore alien position of being good for the NBA. He's one of the key components on the franchise that's sweeping the nation by storm, making people care about the first two rounds of the playoffs, and stealing the concept of cinderella from the college ranks for a moment and lending it to the NBA.

The Warriors being successful is good for basketball, if only because it's now all too apparent that we have a fan base that's one of, if not the, best in basketball, not only in terms of quality, but in terms of quantity too. The Warriors are the unique Bay Area team that can truly appeal to the whole of the Bay Area. No A's/Giants, Raiders/49ers split. And if the Warriors are good for basketball, and Stephen Jackson is good for the Warriors, then Stephen Jackson is good for basketball.

Can you imagine the devastation of basketball fans everywhere if Stephen Jackson had to miss this series because of his legal troubles? Without considering the larger social implications involved with equal justice and the like (because, let's be fair, Stephen Jackson has hardly been the most upstanding of citizens, and he hardly deserves preferential legal treatment over anybody else), the Warriors deserve to prove they're not for real with the whole team on the floor. Thankfully they'll be allowed that.

Stephen Jackson, good for basketball. I generally like David Stern, but it's amusing to think of him having to chew on that one.