Stak was never going to stop at one warning. He had stern words for Shedeur Sanders’ critics yesterday. And less than 24 hours later, Stephen Jackson was back online with more. This time, it wasn’t Stephen A. Smith or Dan Orlovsky. Nor were the other analysts, like Emmanuel Acho, who responded to him. Jackson aimed at one of his former NBA teams while calling out Shedeur Sanders’ critics.

The commentary came after Shedeur was named the third quarterback for the Browns. He apparently didn’t show professionalism after the news, which former NFL players criticized. Jackson defended him on Thursday night. He returned on Friday to “touch more” on the situation.

“I understand there’s always a level of professionalism that you’re supposed to keep, right?” he said, and then brought up a sore point in his own NBA career. “I learnt that with the Spurs. But I also learnt another lesson with the Spurs – how do we try to change you and make you something that they want you to be and not be yourself. But I was blessed to have guys like Steve Smith, Malik Rose, Steve Kerr, telling me to be myself at all times.”

Stak’s history with the San Antonio Spurs is well documented. During his first stint from 2001 to 2003, he was on the injured reserve list and missed 45 games. The narrative was that his attitude was immature. Coincidentally, SAS also termed Shedeur Sanders as “immature.” 

In 2003, he led the Spurs through the playoffs and to a championship. Yet he said, “I hit a lot of big shots that year to win a championship. They tried to lowball me and wanted me to demean myself and take less money and give other people more money and want me to accept it. And I didn’t because they was trying to change me.”

Notably, Stak and his agent were criticized for choosing free agency after the championship. But he recorded career highs at Atlanta and earned a long-term contract.

Browns coach Kevin Stefanski has stood by Sanders publicly, praising his work ethic in extra reps and insisting all quarterbacks are “working extremely hard,” though he confirmed Flacco remains the backup with Sanders as the emergency third option- for now.

As the 1-3 Browns head to London for their international showdown, Sanders’ silent stand and Jackson’s fiery advocacy have only amplified the spotlight on the rookie’s uphill battle to climb the depth chart.

Stak infamously had tiffs with Gregg Popovich, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili over their roles. He’d return to San Antonio in 2012, but his relationship with the Spurs remains strained for reasons that seemingly apply to Shedeur Sanders as well. That’s probably why Stak’s this passionate about it.

Stephen Jackson cares for Shedeur Sanders

Jackson had directly called out Stephen A. Smith and Dan Orlovsky for their comments. While his disdain for SAS is well documented – as Stak believes he doesn’t have the credentials as someone who didn’t play pro sports – he also claimed that Orlovsky didn’t have a great career to comment on Shedeur. Emmanuel Acho feels Stak, a former McDonald’s All-American and NBA champion, had too good a job to compare himself to a rookie like Shedeur.

As much as Stak feels his experience with the Spurs is the same as what Shedeur is going through, he doesn’t think they’re the same. After stating that the Shedeur and Deion Sanders would be criticized regardless, he says, “Shedeur ain’t like us. Shedeur, don’t go out. He don’t hang out, he don’t smoke, he don’t do none of that s— that y’all trying to put on him.”

It is valid that Shedeur can’t be criticized for a wild lifestyle that rookie pros are notorious for. Jackson himself is guilty of it. He had a demanding partying lifestyle for most of his NBA career. He sometimes got into trouble, like getting into altercations at clubs. Once, the person he brawled with ran him over with a car.

The on-court and off-court lifestyle caught up with him majorly at 47. Stak took a break from All the Smoke to undergo treatment for spinal issues in Indiana. The Pacers care for his health at a center frequented by NFL players. Not surprisingly, Stak profusely thanks the Pacers and Warriors but never has a good word about the Spurs.

Now he cautions young players not to go down his path. Shedeur is already on the opposite end of the party spectrum. “He’s a great kid that knows the game, that wants to play the game, that can play the game.”

He doubled down on his previous points, advising Shedeur to be himself and listen to his father. If the 23-year-old quarterback needed to know what it’s like to be true to oneself, Stak ends his rant with, “Living proof.”

Now we’ve got to see whose advice Shedeur takes – Stak or SAS.