The man who outscored Michael Jordan in his final NBA season
In short: In 2002-03, Jerry Stackhouse achieved a statistical feat that seems almost impossible today: he averaged more points per game than Michael Jordan during the legend's final year in the league. But behind this scoring milestone lies a complex narrative of
Stackhouse's ascent began as a high school phenom in North Carolina, where he was once considered the best prep player to emerge from the state since Michael Jordan. This comparison became a defining narrative of his early career. After a standout sophomore season at the University of North Carolina—where he led the team in scoring and was named Sports Illustrated's National Player of the Year—he was selected third overall in the 1995 NBA draft by the Philadelphia 76ers.
During his professional tenure, Stackhouse established himself as a prolific scorer. While playing for the Detroit Pistons, he set a franchise record with 57 points in a single game and led the NBA in total points scored in 2001. However, his relationship with the 'Next Jordan' narrative was complicated. In 2020, Stackhouse expressed regret over playing alongside Jordan, suggesting that the league's tendency to design plays for the aging legend stalled his own momentum as an All-Star.
Beyond the court, Stackhouse has influenced NBA culture and history. In 2004-05, while playing for the Dallas Mavericks, he began wearing pressure stockings to manage a groin injury; this practice quickly became a widespread trend adopted by superstars like Kobe Bryant and LeBron James. Furthermore, he occupies a distinct role within Brooklyn's past, being the initial pro sportsman to sport jersey 42 there following Jackie Robinson.
Stackhouse's transition to coaching has seen significant highs and lows. He earned NBA D-League Coach of the Year honors in 2017 after leading the Raptors 905 to a championship. Later, as the head coach of Vanderbilt, he experienced a bizarre statistical anomaly in 2020 when his team went 0-25 on three-point shots, ending a 1,080-game streak of consistency for the program.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Jerry Stackhouse
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