DENVER — Reggie Jackson is coming home.
The Denver Nuggets announced late Tuesday night the signing of the 6-foot-2 guard, who attended Palmer High School in Colorado Springs from 2004-08.
Jackson, age 32, most recently played for the Los Angeles Clippers, playing in 52 games this season, averaging 10.9 points, 2.2 rebounds and 3.5 assists while shooting .350 from three-point range in 25.7 minutes per game.
Jackson was a Colorado preps star for the Terrors and was named the Gatorade Player of the Year his senior season in 2008. He went on to play collegiately at Boston College before being selected by the Oklahoma City Thunder (24th overall) in the 2011 NBA Draft.
He joins a Denver team looking to make a title run, currently sitting comfortably in the No. 1 spot in the Western Conference.
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Reggie Jackson had a choice to make when he became a free agent after his contract was bought out by the Charlotte Hornets after the NBA trade deadline. He decided to come home.
“Backup point guard role, they had a hole kind of open so I figured that and then as well coming home was definitely appealing,” Jackson explained his decision at his press conference on Wednesday night. “So it just all matched up once I sat down and thought about it. Very blessed to be able to go from the sixth team in the west to the best team in the west.”
Colorado Springs at one point, was home for Jackson. He starred at Palmer High School and was named Mr. Colorado Basketball in 2008.
“It’s a blessing to be at home, and play especially with friends and family now who are gonna be around and in attendance,” smiled Jackson. “But more than anything I just dreamed of playing in the NBA and I’ve been fortunate enough to do that in my 12th season.”
Jackson talked about what he remembered most about his high school days at Palmer.
“I remember setting out special goals with a group of guys that I still talk to, to this day, friends that I have for life, and just being an underdog. So it’s probably good being back in this building. I know they’re the number one team but probably not being talked about. And what it is, setting out having big aspirations with a group of guys and believing before anybody else believes. So chatting with the guys a little bit at shootaround it’s been fun to kind of feel that similar energy.”
The scoring guard will wear number 7 just like Denver legend Chauncey Billups, and while he wears the number of one Nuggets great, he’ll get to share the floor with another: the two-time MVP.
“He [Nikola Jokic] plays a brand of basketball that I've always believed in and I think I've been raised to believe in since I was a kid. You just love the joy that you see him play with. He just plays basketball and allows the game to dictate how you’re gonna play that night so that’s something, being a competitor against him, I've been very appreciative of watching him. It will be great now to be in his presence and just try to help in any way and hopefully be a recipient of a lot of those great assists that he throws out each and every night.”
Jackson projects to be a very important piece off the Nuggets bench, as they make a run at their first NBA Championship.
“I just want to help, help these guys with their aspirations, whatever they may be. I’m pretty sure it’s championship aspirations… and just go out there and share the joy with the fans and my teammates that the game brings to me.”
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