In a press conference hosted on Thursday, June 3 the National Basketball Association’s G-League Stockton Kings introduced their new head coach, Bobby Jackson.

One of Sacramento’s most beloved players in franchise history, Jackson now brings his basketball knowledge to the 209. On the Zoom meeting, Coach Jackson and Vice President of Player Development and General Manager of the Stockton Kings Paul Johnson met with the media in a press conference that lasted roughly a half hour.

“I am really excited about the return of Stockton Kings basketball,” said Johnson. Because of the pandemic the team has not taken the court since 2019.

“Bobby is a great guy; I want to start with that. He has great character, and experience both on the court and in the front office,” Johnson added of the new coach.

Jackson, meanwhile, praised the opportunity he has to be a part of the team.

“When they interviewed me I stressed how much this meant to me,” he said.

Coach Jackson credits his former coaches, from high school to his coaches in the NBA for help, molding and mentoring, to propel him to becoming a head coach.

On the court Coach Jackson wants to help mentor the young roster and prepare them for the NBA.

“I’d like to mirror what the Sacramento Kings are doing so that these guys know what to expect at the next level. Coach Luke (Walton) and I will be working closely on that.”

Jackson also said he wants his team to “be competitive, play hard and play at a high pace.”

The new head coach stressed that he wants to build a relationship with the community of Stockton.

“I think it is very important to be present in the community. We are excited about the growth of the community. It’s something that I have done my whole career; help building the communities that I have been a part of,” Jackson said.

Currently, there is no official schedule or team roster set, but team officials are pleased with the return of the sport to Stockton.