If the name of Troy Jackson certainly does not evoke anything for the greatest number, the nickname of “Climbing” remains known among basketball fans of the 2000s. An ultra-renowned exhibition player in his discipline, the big man of more than 200 kilos handled the ball like a real point guard, for mixtapes all more spectacular than the others. Portrait of a soul who left too early.
Let’s start this overview of one of the craziest careers in history by talking about a former NBA player, namely Mark Jackson. The former point guard, who played in the league between 1987 and 2004, not only shares our subject’s last name, but blood ties. He was indeed none other than Troy Jackson’s big brother.
If Mark’s physique was classic on the floors of the big league (1m85 for 81kg), his younger brother of almost 11 years had a much less usual build. During his senior year at Hills East High School in New York, Troy Jackson already peaks at more than 2 meters for … 220 kilos. Excuse me a little.
A morphotype that makes it difficult to envisage even a university career, and yet. Accustomed to the famous New York Rucker Park, Troy is spotted by the coach of a minor university in Alabama, who offers to join the program. Two seasons and several regional distinctions later, he received a scholarship offer from the renowned Louisville university.
The youngest Jackson is then asked to follow a strict diet to consider playing regularly in NCAA. If he only plays 20 games (3.0 points, 1.6 rebounds in averages) in two years, in a role at the end of the bench, he only displays 165kg on the scales at the end. Unlike his older brother, he still has to give up on the NBA. He then makes a choice which will propel him to the top of the poster: join the And1 Mixtape Tour.
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The oldest may remember this exhibition tour organized by the modest brand And1. Bringing together players with spectacular play like The Professor or Hot Sauce, who later became streetball legends, she saw the arrival in her ranks of Troy Jackson in 2003. It was then that the nickname ” Escalade ”, In reference to the big SUV of the Cadillac brand, was born.
And Escalade will quickly become one of the darlings of the public who massed on the edge of the playgrounds and parquet floors, but also of the many first Internet users to follow its exploits (we are then at the beginning of the web as we know). From the height of his 2m08, and back to almost 220 kilos, the big man surprises everyone, including his opponents, with his hidden and ultra-precise passes to make his big brother pale.
He obviously knew how to make his presence felt in snowshoes, and did not miss an opportunity to violently replace the cover after a failure by one of his teammates. But Escalade also knew how to take possessions in hand, and mystify its direct opponents in isolation with a panoply of dribbles and extraordinary moves.
Lawyer in everyday life, Troy Jackson also appeared on the cover of one of the famous magazine’s issues Sports Illustrated. He even managed to overshadow his big brother, yet NBA player, through his huge community of fans.
Troy died in his sleep on February 20, 2011, at the age of 35, due to high blood pressure. His death will deeply sadden the basketball world, while Mark will share a superb anecdote about his little brother:
“He sometimes went to night clubs where an NBA role player, who could earn millions, was not recognized. Troy could go VIP.
Not only did everyone know him, but they loved him. “
With an arsenal of basketball players as large as his physique, it was only logical that Troy “Escalade” Jackson widely received the love of streetball fans during the 2000s. RIP.
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