Getty Image / Mike Lawrie
Former NBA All-Star turned ESPN NBA analyst, Mark Jackson, is looking at an uncertain future after he was banned from the New York Knicks’ plane according to the NYPost’s Andrew Marchand.
Mark Jackson was fired from ESPN back at the end of July and for a while, it seemed like he might end up with the MSG Network where he would occasionally fill in for Clyde Frazier to call Knicks games. However, according to Marchand, Mark Jackson doesn’t have a future as an MSG Network analyst after he was banned from the team’s plane.
A spokesman for the MSG Network shared a vague statement with Marchand, saying “we weren’t able to work something out this season.” And from there it gets interesting…
Darren Erman is a current assistant coach for the New York Knicks. He worked under Jackson back in 2014 when Mark was the head coach of the Golden State Warriors. Erman was fired by Mark Jackson for, according to Marchand, secretly recording Coach Jackson and his players without their knowledge.
Jackson called Darren Erman’s actions ‘inexcusable’ and fired him and Mark was himself fired later that year. Flash forward 9 years later and Erman is an assistant coach with the New York Knicks while Mark Jackson was trying to land a fill-in analyst role with the MSG Network and while there’s no evidence one person blocked the position the connections are intriguing.
Back in July when Jackson was fired by ESPN, he released this statement:
“This morning, unexpectedly, I was informed that my services were no longer needed at ESPN. Although shocked and dismayed with the suddenness of it all, I would like to thank ESPN and all the staff of the NBA ESPN crew for allowing me to be part of the organization for the past 15+ years. I would also like to thank the NBA fans watching at home and in the arenas throughout the league for all of your support. To the NBA, a heartfelt thank you for allowing a kid to continue to accomplish his dreams.”
“It has been an honor to sit beside two LEGENDS in the business, who are like brothers to me, Mike Breen and Jeff Van Gundy, and learn so much from them. Lisa Salters is a GOAT and like a sister to me and I’m so proud of the work she continues to do. To the best producer in the world, and my friend, Tim Corrigan, I give the utmost thanks and gratitude and thanks for always inspiring and supporting me. To all of the staff and crew, that may have never been seen on camera…please know that you were always seen by me and so greatly appreciated.”
“Finally, I wish greater measures of success to the new ESPN team. May they continue to elevate this game that has given me a home and a life. I leave ESPN with nothing but gratitude, all the while knowing that my highest praise goes to God! Through it all, He has always sustained me and His grace allows me to know that there are greater blessings ahead. I look forward to what He has in store next.”
ESPN laid off a LOT of top talent over the past year across every arm of their business and it is in no way an indictment on Mark Jackson’s contributions to the game.
It remains to be seen what, if any, his role will be with the MSG Network as he’s now been banned from the Knicks plane and thus cannot travel with the team.
Marchand points out that Jackson could opt to fly on commercial airlines and not stay in the same hotels as the team but describes it as ‘arduous.’ And in my experience, people don’t often want to work in a role where they don’t feel welcomed by the team.