Ex-NBA player Stephen Jackson commented about his friendship with George Floyd, saying that he knew about his lifelong friend's death when his girlfriend's mom sent him the video.
Jackson said he didn't know it was Floyd at first sight until he got other messages from his friend asking him about it.
“I jumped up, screamed, scared my daughter, almost broke my hand punching stuff because I was so mad because I’m the type of guy, I get mad and I get into a full face of tears when I see a homeless man on the street that I can’t help, so let alone my best friend on TV for the world to see getting killed over a fraud charge, a fake $20 bill,” Jackson said. “It just destroyed me and I haven’t been the same since I have seen it.”
The NBA player said it hurt him to hear Floyd calling out for his mother and children in the video, adding that he knew his friend was crying for help. Stephen said he's a black man, a strong one, and that he knew Floyd. He said that black men don't shout their mother's name unless they are sure that their lives are in jeopardy and that they can't control it.
Jackson also said that Floyd would be happy the protesters are fighting for him, but he would rather that the people responsible for his death are penalized.
“He’s not the type of person to promote violence and stuff like that. He used to baptize people, so what we’re seeing right now, this is not what Floyd would want,” Jackson said.
