A few days before school started, I sat in my room watching Family Guy on my laptop. It eventually hit me that I needed to buy text books.
But instead, I grabbed my shorts and walked to the Student Recreation Center.
Before I could get into my old routine, I noticed someone else trying to get back into his. Former Duck Luke Jackson was stroking 18-footers on an empty court. With a basket all to himself, the Ducks’ former swing man seemed at home shooting in solitude while a trainer rebounded for him. Through the clear glass separating the weight room from the hardwood, I watched the Oregon alum unload mid-range jumper after mid-range jumper and for stretches, he couldn’t miss.
Jackson seems to want to stay connected with the Oregon basketball program. Conversely, Fred Jones, a 2002 NBA draft pick, indicated last year in the Oregonian that head coach Ernie Kent didn’t want to stay connected with him.
“I left on a sour note, well I wouldn’t say sour because I loved my teammates and everybody I came in contact with, but the coaching staff doesn’t seem like they want us former players to be involved as much,” he said. “No , I shouldn’t say coaching staff, just maybe the head coach.”
Jackson has attended numerous Duck games since going pro. Of course, he’s had more time on his hands to watch basketball because he’s been unable to play. Jackson has only clocked into 46 games since turning pro because of back problems and a broken wrist that cost him 32 games in 2005-06. Despite his career misfortunes, Jackson occasionally smiled in mid-release that day.
So why isn’t Freddy at the SRC shooting hoops and checking out the new Ducks? Only Freddy Jones can answer that. I have not seen much of Jones or former point guard Luke Ridnour other than in picture from behind a glass showcase in Mac Court, but I would like to. Despite any hard feelings, some part of them still must want to come back to the arena.
If anything, they know the overwhelming majority of Mac Court attendees have nothing but love for them.
So that said, I invite Jones, Ridnour and Jackson to come to any of the nine home Pac-10 conference games or nine non-conference contests, as their schedules permit. Now I know NBA players don’t have infinite free time, but Oregon and Seattle, Wash., are only 250 miles apart. Maybe Ridnour could come see the Ducks play Oregon State on March 3. Jones can make it to the Stanford game on Jan. 18 if he can get permission to travel solo from Sacramento, Calif., to Eugene. After the contest, he can meet back up with his squad in Utah to play the Jazz the following night. Travel schedules never stopped Damon Stoudamire from attending Arizona games.
So let’s face it: Kent won’t end up on all three of these guys’ “favorite coaches” list. Moreover, they probably avoid travel like the plague, considering the NBA’s grueling road schedule. But when any of these guys return to Mac Court, you can bet I will drop my textbooks and be there to applaud their presence.