Jackson’s a Screaming Success in Golden State

Marc Jackson’s scream seems to start in the soles of his sneakers. The noise shoots through his body and explodes into the quiet Oakland Arena as he grabs yet another rebound.

Moments later, he fights two New Jersey Nets for a loose ball. When it’s knocked out of bounds and no foul is called, Jackson gives the referee a pained look while letting out another guttural yowl.

The Golden State Warriors’ 26-year-old rookie center is one of the NBA’s most vocal and expressive players, but that’s not why he’s drawing attention from a league that barely knew his name three months ago.

Jackson’s screams and glares arise from the determination that carried him from basketball obscurity to a starting job with the Warriors--and the inside track on the rookie of the year award.

It’s been a remarkable and rapid climb for the former Temple star who spent the last three years overseas preparing for the opportunity he seized this fall in Golden State.

“Coming from where I’ve been, I’m grateful for every game I get out here, and I want to get the most out of it,” Jackson said.

Entering the weekend, Jackson led this season’s thin rookie class in points (12.8), field goal percentage (51.1) and free throw percentage (81.1), and is second in rebounds (6.9).

Even more importantly to coach Dave Cowens, Jackson seems to have a limitless desire to work and improve--a quality rarely seen in today’s too-young, too-soon NBA.

“You’re seeing the maturation of a guy who could be an important player in this league for a number of years,” Cowens said. “You can’t say he came out of nowhere, but in a way, he did. Nobody knew how determined he was to succeed. We didn’t, but we do now.”

After being named the Atlantic-10 player of the year in 1997, Jackson left school early not because he was dying to play professionally, but because his family needed the money. In fact, when Golden State drafted him 38th overall, he took the best overseas offer before the Warriors even opened training camp.

He went to Turkey, where “fans throw stuff at you and holler at you and spit on you--and that’s the hometown crowd,” he said.

He went on to Spain, where he played with one team and practiced with two others to get his 6-foot-10, 270-pound body into top shape.

He also continued a practice he began in college: studying videotape of NBA players to learn their moves and positioning techniques. Using Karl Malone as his primary model, Jackson honed a remarkable array of post moves and worked relentlessly on his outside shot.

“That’s just something I do on my own,” Jackson said. “I wanted to be the best player I could be in Spain, even if I never got the chance to play in the NBA. I thought my day would come, but I wasn’t sure.”

Last summer, the Warriors, who still held his rights, allowed Jackson to work out with other NBA teams to see if any would be interested in a trade. Nothing happened, but Jackson played so well in Golden State’s training camp that he unexpectedly earned a roster spot.

He spent nearly five weeks as a benchwarmer before Golden State’s annual spate of injuries knocked Erick Dampier and Adonal Foyle out of the lineup. After that, milestones fell with amazing speed. Jackson had his first 20-point game on Dec. 9, his first double-double (15 points, 10 rebounds) on Dec. 14, and his first 30-point game on Dec. 19.

“He has a tough attitude,” New Jersey’s Kendall Gill said. “He goes no-holds-barred. That’s what makes him successful. He’s not the greatest talent, but his attitude gets him over.”

After an offseason during which virtually any team could have acquired him, Jackson might be the best stroke of good fortune in years for the snakebitten Warriors.

Instead of collapsing when four big men missed significant playing time in recent weeks, Golden State has held together thanks to Jackson and Antawn Jamison. Jackson’s threat as an outside shooter has opened up room for Jamison, who can’t be easily double-teamed by Jackson’s man.

Respect for Jackson around the league has grown almost as quickly as his game. Teams that didn’t know who he was several weeks ago now send multiple defenders to stop him.

“It’s tough seeing the double- and triple-teams now, but that’s part of being more successful,” Jackson said. “It makes us a better team, because it frees up other people. I can pass the ball when I have to.”

Jackson draws difficult defensive assignments almost every night, and his defense is improving the hard way. Malone and Kevin Garnett have had outstanding games against him, but Jackson said that’s the only way he’ll learn.

Jackson’s consistent offensive production alone guarantees him a shot at the rookie of the year award. If he holds off New Jersey’s Kenyon Martin and Stephen Jackson--the only other rookies averaging more than 10 points--he’ll become the lowest draft pick and the oldest player to win the award since 1957.

“He’s the rookie, but Larry [Hughes] and me are younger than him, and we’ve been in the league for three years,” Jamison said. “You’ve got to respect what he’s done.”