Stu Jackson

One of the leading players in Reading High School’s rich basketball history. Stu led the Red Knights to a 72-12 overall record in his three seasons, including their first appearance in the state title game. His 38 points in the 63-62 loss to General Braddock High (1973) remained the record for the title game until Carlisle’s Billy Owens scored 53. Stu finished with 1,563 career points, which was the modern school record at Reading and was eighth on the all-time Berks County list at that time. After an intense recruiting battle, he went to Oregon University and became an immediate starter, helping the Ducks finish second in the NIT during one season. After suffering a severe knee injury in a motorcycle accident, he transferred to Seattle for his final collegiate season, reaching 1,000 points for his college career. Stu went on to be an assistant coach at Oregon and Washington State universities for two years each before joining Rick Pitino at Providence (1985–86) and helping the Friars reach the Final Four (1987). When Pitino became the head coach of the New York Knicks, Jackson joined him as an assistant and helped the Knicks qualify for the NBA playoffs, their first playoff appearance since the 1983–84 season. Jackson became the head coach of the Knicks (1989), General Manager of the Vancouver Grizzlies for their first five seasons, and then became an Executive Vice-President of Basketball Operations for the NBA.