The sports world knows no shortage of controversy, but few moments have deserved the rose of criticism quite like the recent firestorms surrounding Shedeur Sanders and Shannon Sharpe. Addressing the tension head-on, former NBA champion Stephen Jackson offered a daring opinion by pointing out the dichotomy of negative feelings towards both men and a more sinister problem of how the world treats successful Black men.
Shedeur Sanders, a top-five prospect for the NFL Draft, had a shocking and public fall to the fifth round when the Cleveland Browns drafted him at No. 144. Meanwhile, NFL Hall of Famer and media man Shannon Sharpe is facing extremely concerning accusations that he categorically denies and is trending for all the wrong reasons. Stephen Jackson did not dance around the circumstances. In a rare, unguarded moment from a recent exchange caught by The Art of Dialogue, Jackson said, “They hate to see confident n**as.” His message struck a chord with many who believe that success and self-confidence in Black athletes and public figures are generally far too quickly perceived with resentment rather than jubilation.
“When you Black and you confident, you know where you come from, you know who you are, you know what you can do, and you don’t need nobody to pat you on the back to give you the confidence, they hate it. They hate it.” Jackson went on. It was about a wider pattern, where even within the Black world, people can sometimes be quicker to tear down than to build up. While not referring to Shedeur Sanders by name, Jackson strongly conveys that he doesn’t like how people are so quick to throw their own under the bus. Sanders’ freefall in the draft was not lost on fans, some of whom questioned whether it was some kind of coordinated conspiracy to ruin him and his father, pro football Hall of Famer and Colorado Buffaloes coach Deion Sanders. Conspiracy theories of collusion and shaming tactics swirled online as many wondered how a player of Sanders’ stature could fall so far without a compelling reason.
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Jackson’s advice remained constant when switching to the human drama unfolding in Shannon Sharpe’s life. “But look at how many of y’all happy to see Shannon go through something,” he said, decrying the rush of some to cheer for Sharpe’s failure without the whole story. Jackson didn’t claim to know the particulars, but he made clear that, along with the situation all around, the rush to judgment reflected a toxic culture that feeds on schadenfreude more than solidarity. “I’m praying for all my brothers out here, man,” Jackson continued. ‘Cause we all got a wave to catch. It’s enough of all of us out here.” It was more than a column defending Sharpe and Sanders. A call for unity, patience, and understanding, a reminder that his colleagues’ personal struggles are not invitations for a public takedown.
Reactions to Stephen Jackson’s words have been swift and largely in agreement that confident Black men in corporate settings frequently don’t receive the kind of grace or support their counterparts receive. Whether he feels there’s sabotage to how he’s perceived in the NFL Draft or a feeding frenzy about his personal background, Jackson has a message that you’re only shielded from ignorance in every way when you become a success, and in some cases, most adamant critics come from those closest to you. With Shedeur Sanders set to start his pro career with the Browns and Shannon Sharpe navigating some choppy waters, the latter of the two’s words are a good reminder that proper support stands behind one another, not waiting for the fall.
