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Get to Know: Bobby Jackson

Granite Bay resident Bobby Jackson and his sister grew up in the projects of Salisbury, North Carolina. Raised by a hard-working single mother, Jackson’s only dream as a kid was to one day play for the NBA, so he could repay his mother for all she gave him. “I wanted to take care of her for the rest of her life,” he recalls. “It was the only thing that motivated me.” From the age of eight, he started playing pick-up games with kids in the neighborhood and would practice for hours after school, often emulating the moves of his childhood hero, Michael Jordan. 

Bobby Jackson


It was a long, tough road, but the guidance of his mother and a few good coaches helped Jackson stay away from the drugs and gangs that infested his neighborhood. He went on to the University of Minnesota, where he was drafted into the NBA and played professionally for 12 years—finally realizing his dream of providing a better life for his family.

These days, Jackson is the assistant player development coach for the Sacramento Kings. He’d previously played on the team for five years (known to fans as “Action Jackson”), so coaching there seemed like an ideal transition—an opportunity to guide others the way he’d once been mentored. 

Sadly, his mother passed away from cancer in 2004; in her honor, he formed the Bobby Jackson Foundation, a nonprofit that raises funds for cancer-awareness and research, among other charitable causes. “My mom always taught me that if you’re blessed [you should] bless other people.”

By Amber Foster

Q&A

What advice would you give to your younger self?

Appreciate the game more; once it’s gone, you can’t go back. 


What comes to you naturally?

Leading, being humble, and giving back.

 

Biggest life inspirations?

My children.

 

What are you most proud of?

Watching my five kids grow into adults. 

 

Favorite humanitarian causes?

Finding a cure for cancer and child abuse.

 

Best words of wisdom you’ve received?

Be true to yourself.

 

What’s next?

Keep growing and learning in the coaching field.


FAVORITE

Author/writer
John Grisham

ESCAPE
Golf  

Guilty pleasure
Banana pudding

Meal in town
DMC Roll and Train Wreck Roll at Mikuni 

Memory
Dinners with my mom

Musician/band
Tupac Shakur (2Pac) and Jodeci 

Local nonprofit

Bobby Jackson Foundation

Saying

“Don’t get outworked.”