Ranking all of Steph’s teammates: #49 — Stephen Jackson

During his time with the Golden State Warriors, Steph Curry has had 106 teammates who have appeared in at least one game. Some played in exactly one game, while others played in hundreds. Some never actually played in a game that Curry was active for, while others formed historically great partnerships with him.

And I’m ranking all 106 of them before a new season starts and he adds to the tally. Better get a move on.

Players are ranked — and stats are shown — based only on their time as Curry’s teammate. How good/bad they were in other organizations doesn’t matter. How good/bad they were on pre-2009-10 Warriors teams doesn’t matter.

#49 — Stephen Jackson

Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images

Games: 9 (T-89th out of 106)
Points per game: 16.6 (8th out of 106)
Rebounds per game: 3.9 (T-32nd out of 106)
Assists per game: 4.7 (6th out of 106)

Before there was Draymond Green, there was Stephen Jackson. Stack Jack was the heart and soul of the Warriors small ball lineup that stunned the Dallas Mavericks to cement We Believe as a legacy. He did a little bit of everything: scored, passed better than players his size are supposed to, and could defend every position.

He’s a legend in the eyes of every Warriors fan.

So why is he ranked so low? Well, I have to remind you of the rules: I’m only counting a player’s tenure when they were Steph Curry’s teammate.

Jackson played 179 games in a Warriors jersey, plus another 11 in the playoffs. But only nine of them came while Curry was on the roster, which means we can only judge him for those nine games.

Admittedly, he put up some very nice stats in those nine games. But he was also checked out. He had made it clear that he no longer wanted to be on the Warriors, and it was evident on the court. He scored a lot but that was partially due to chucking up shots with no regard for whether he should or should not; as a result, his efficiency plummeted. He seemed disinterested in defense, and in decision making.

He was a player trying to get traded, and he played like one.

Still a legend in our hearts. Still an all-time great Warrior.

Just not in 2009-10.