Former Gophers star Bobby Jackson returns to Sacramento as assistant coach

Jackson, 52, was the star of the Gophers' 1997 Final Four team, an achievement that was later officially vacated due to an academic fraud scandal. He transferred from Western Nebraska Community College and led Minnesota in scoring in both the 1995-96 and the 1996-97 seasons. In the latter season, he was the Big Ten player of the year and an All-American after averaging roughly 15 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals per game.

The 1997 Gophers, under head coach Clem Haskins, went further than any team in program history, before or since. They went 27-3 in the regular season, winning the Big Ten with a 16-2 conference record, and then beat Texas State, Temple, Clemson, and UCLA to reach the Final Four, where they lost to Rick Pitino and Kentucky.

While the memories from that era of Gophers basketball can't be erased for those who experienced it, the 1999 academic fraud scandal led to suspensions, the resignations of Haskins and others, and NCAA sanctions. They were technically stripped of that Big Ten title and their Final Four appearance, as well as previous NCAA Tournament appearances in 1994 and 1995.

Jackson was a first-round pick in the 1997 NBA draft. He played 12 years in the league, including six with the Kings, where he won the 2003 sixth man of the year award and finished in the top four in voting for that award three other times. Jackson also played for the Nuggets, Timberwolves, Grizzlies, Hornets, and Rockets.

Recommended stories