Former NBA star Stephen Jackson mourns ‘brother’ George Floyd killed by Minneapolis police
The baller turned podcaster shared memories of his friend who was killed in the latest example of police brutality.
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In his career former basketball star and NBA champion Stephen Jackson was probably best known for participating in the ‘Malice in the Palace’ — the infamous 2004 NBA brawl between the Indiana Pacers, his team at the time and the Detroit Pistons. Today, Jackson is trending for a different reason as his “brother” George Floyd has become the latest victim of police brutality.
READ MORE: George Floyd dies after saying he can’t breathe with cop’s knee on his neck
Floyd was killed on Monday by police in Minneapolis, Minn. who were called to a “forgery in progress.” According to the police report, Floyd was sitting on top of his car and appeared to be “under the influence.”
However, several witnesses, including the one who recorded the interaction, noted that while he was handcuffed and on the ground with one of the officer’s knees on his neck, Floyd, whose nose was also bleeding, said that he couldn’t breathe and asked for help.
Though the four police officers who responded to the scene did request medical assistance it was too late and Floyd died. The officers were fired today by Minneapolis police chief Medaria Arradondo.
“What we saw was horrible, completely and utterly messed up,” Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said. “This man’s life matters, he matters. He was someone’s son, someone’s family member, someone’s friend. He was a human being and his life mattered.”
Jackson, a Port Arthur, Texas native posted an emotional tribute to his Instagram page today.
“This what I gotta wake up to huh? This is what I got to wake up to? Floyd was my brother. We called each other twins,” Jackson said.
“Everybody know we called each other twins. My brother was only out there in Minnesota, he was changing his life, he was driving trucks. I had just sent him two or three boxes of clothes. My boy was doing what he was supposed to do and ya’ll killed my brother. I’m on my way to Minnesota -whatever I can do. We can’t let this ride. Y’all not going to be mad until it hit y’all front door. It’s bull**t.”
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In recent years, he’s been the co-host to former NBA retiree Matt Barnes on their ever-popular All The Smoke podcast and kicked up some internet debate after telling the story of leaving his fiancee, one-time Basketball Wives cast member Imani Showalter, at the altar. But this tragedy has struck a very raw nerve for him.
Jackson posted photos of Floyd which made it clear why they called each other twins as they bear a considerable resemblance to each other.
Jackson, who was apparently receiving comments about the situation that debated whether or not the police were wrong, made another post saying, “I know this is going to sound fu** up and I want it to sound f**ed up because it is fucked up. Y’all just take my boy’s life and what we supposed to do? What is his family supposed to do? Just move on? Hope you go to jail, hope they punish you for killing my boy?
Why we can’t just kill you? That’s the justice we want because we can’t get nothing back. So the cops should die too. Y’all just killing people for no reason? So why can’t we just kill you? The only justice is taking y’all life. But they not going to do that. They’re not going to give you the death penalty. They give people the death penalty for other shit but they not going to kill y’all. All right. Bet that.”
READ MORE: Four Minneapolis police officers fired after death of Black man
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Jackson, who said he has spoken to activist Shaun King, who dealt with his own controversy today, said he is en route to Minneapolis to do what he can and to see that his friend receives justice. He also shared that Floyd, who he knew from Texas, was an athlete that once won a high school championship in football.
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