How ‘being a military kid’ prepared Reggie Jackson for any role in the Sixers’ crowded backcourt

Among the big questions that remain after the 76ers signed Reggie Jackson last week is how coach Nick Nurse will utilize all of his point guards.

Jackson joined a crowded position that already included All-Star Tyrese Maxey, future Hall of Famer Kyle Lowry, first-round pick Jared McCain, and two-way player Jeff Dowtin Jr.

But showcasing lineups that feature multiple players at the same position is nothing new for Nurse.

“Since he was with the Raptors and became a head coach, kind of seeing how his team played, it was very interesting,” Jackson said. “Obviously, they played Lowry and [point guard] Fred VanVleet … how well they played together. They played long lineups where you had [forwards] Kawhi [Leonard], you had Pascal [Siakam], you had [Chris] Boucher. Shoot, he played [post players] Serge [Ibaka] and [Marc] Gasol at times together.”

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That’s why Jackson can’t wait to work with Nurse. He’s eager to see how his coach’s mind works. Knowing that Nurse is an outside-of-the-box thinker, Jackson gets a sense that being a point guard doesn’t really lock into any specific role.

“There’s one thing it looks like he’s very concerned with, which I appreciate, and that’s winning,” he said. “Trying to come out on top in any way he can … and trying to give his team the best opportunity to win.”

Nurse’s style has made him successful. He led the Raptors to the 2019 NBA title in his first year as a head coach in the league and was the 2020 NBA coach of the year. He also won two D-League championships and two British Basketball League titles before coaching in the NBA.

And whatever role Jackson has, the 34-year-old won’t have a problem adapting to it. He’s had a knack of doing so during his 13 years in the NBA.

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“My circle always keeps me grounded,” said Jackson, whose father, Saul, was an Air Force officer. “Just the love of the game of all facets and being able to be a military kid.

“Being a military kid prepared me for this life. Always moving around, always trying to figure it out, find ways to acclimate yourself to a new situation. Just trying to find a way to be effective.”

Reggie Jackson was born in Italy. The Jacksons also spent time in England before moving to North Dakota, Georgia, and Florida. They ultimately settled in Colorado Springs, Colo., when he was in the sixth grade.

Jackson comes to Philadelphia with averages of 12.6 points and 4.2 assists in 853 career games — including 529 starts — with the Thunder, Pistons, Clippers, and Nuggets.

He helped Denver win the 2023 league title.

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Jackson said continuity, work, preparation, sticking to your principles, and having a will to win were his takeaways from that championship.

“Being able to — probably something everybody does in life is stick to your principles, trusting the process,” he said, “and, honestly, just something you live and die with at the end of the day is just once you wake up on the right side of the bed, you can live with the results so as long as we go through the right process. I think we give ourselves a great chance to do something special.”