Stephen Jackson On the Life of George Floyd & Protests Across America

In the video above, Colin Cowherd speaks with former NBA player Stephen Jackson who was a childhood friend with George Floyd and gets his insight on the protests happening across the country.

Colin Cowherd: Explain to our audience your history with George Floyd who was murdered last week by a police officer in Minneapolis.

Stephen Jackson: It was a 20-23 year relationship. I was playing basketball in my teenage years, and he came down to watch me, which was 45 minutes away from where he lived in Houston with a friend of mine named Telly. Telly had already told me he had a homeboy in Houston that looks just like me and we might have the same daddy. Telly brought him down and our first two words when we saw each other was, 'who yo daddy?' Because we looked that much alike and I think the fact that we looked that much alike, we had some of the same, common goals. We kinda lived the same lives at the time. I was in the streets a lot at the time and we just bonded. We protected each other. He supported me in everything I was doing and he was just a great friend, somebody that always had my back.

Colin Cowherd: Why did you remain close? What was it about him?

Stephen Jackson: The only difference between me and him was, we came from the same areas but I had more opportunities than him. He was a top tight end in the state of Texas and they lost in the state championship. He also good in basketball, so he had opportunities in sports too. He had the chance to go, he just didn't get the opportunities I had. Floyd was just a guy who wanted to protect and provide for everybody. He was one of those guys, especially playing basketball, you meet a lot of people that abuse your friendship. At times when he needed things, he didn't call me. When he did call, he'd call me for clothes for a job interview or something that his mother needed. Most people call you to abuse your friendship because they know you're going to give it to them. He was one of those guys that genuinely supported me and only called when he really needed something.

Colin Cowherd: The video is outrageous and disturbing for me. After you saw the video, for the next several days, did you sleep? How difficult was it for you?

Stephen Jackson: It's still difficult for the world to see my friend go like that and still not have justice all this time after. I've gotten a little sleep but the first couple of days I didn't sleep. I don't even know how I feel when people ask me. I can't give them an answer because I'm not even concerned about how I feel. This position (leading protests) just fell in my lap with my brother getting murdered and I'm embracing it. I haven't really thought about myself since it happened. I put myself on the frontline to stand up for my brother. Every time I think about it, I get emotional. I don't think that feeling will ever go away because everybody saw it.

Colin Cowherd: What's you reaction to America's reaction to George's death?

Stephen Jackson: I love it. And Colin you know this, I've told somebody from every race that I love them and I mean it. So I love the fact that everybody is standing with me because they know that I'm standing for them. I'm not the type that says, 'Black people and I hate everybody else. NO. I love being black but I love everybody as well. And what they're afraid of is every race standing together for the right cause. What they're scared of is us standing together side by side and loving each other showing we can stand together to get things done but right now, they want us to divide.

The conversation continues in the video above. They discuss the rioting and looting as well as the stars, athletes, and politicians reaching out to him.