Nuggets' Reggie Jackson Reveals He Considered NBA Retirement During Pistons Stint

Denver Nuggets guard Reggie Jackson contemplated his long-term NBA future when persistent injuries blighted his Detroit Pistons tenure.

The 33-year-old told Yahoo Sports' Vincent Goodwill he "wasn't sure I wanted to play anymore."

"I didn't wanna do it no more," he said. "Couldn't find the reason to keep getting up and continuing to push and get better, something I'm passionate about and love to do. But I felt like my body kept failing me."

Jackson played 79 games in his first full season with Detroit in 2015-16 but missed 67 games over the next two years.

The Pistons, meanwhile, were stuck on the proverbial treadmill of mediocrity. They made the playoffs in 2016 and 2019 but got swept in each first-round series. Jackson was a symbol of the futility because the franchise had staked a lot in his potential.

The 6'2" guard acknowledged to Goodwill the injuries and Detroit's inability to make a breakthrough weighed heavily on him.

Jackson's perspective changed when he got waived by the Pistons in February 2020 and signed with the Los Angeles Clippers. He steadily emerged as a key supporting player for Los Angeles, averaging 17.8 points and 3.4 assists per game during the team's run to the 2021 Western Conference Finals.

Getting traded by the Clippers this season and eventually landing with the Nuggets presented more disruption. But now Jackson and Denver are one win away from winning an NBA title.

"It's fun to look at different moments in this series, especially the older guys," he said to Goodwill. "It's setting in. Guys, we're so close. We're not gonna let up. We can feel it."