NBA WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: CLIPPERS VS. SUNS

June 30, 2021

Reggie Jackson

LA Clippers

Game 6: Postgame

Phoenix Suns 130, Los Angeles Clippers 103

Q. I know the season didn't end the way that you wanted, but how proud are you of the fact that you and the team showed overcoming all this adversity and getting to the point that you did?

REGGIE JACKSON: Extremely proud of this team. It sucks that it's cut short, cut short of our ultimate goal this year of winning a championship. But couldn't be prouder. Couldn't be prouder. Like you said, dealing with all the adversity, injuries, everybody dealing with health protocols, guys in and out of the lineup, just not sure how everybody is feeling day-to-day. And the way this season just been kind of pushed, fast-pace, I'm proud of the way we battled. Never complained. This team just never made excuses. Continude to put in the work each and every day. And I think we got everything we deserve.

Like I said, sucks that it fell short but I haven't had too many better seasons and better locker rooms, better groups. This was a family. We really found a way, quickly, found a way to adjustment guys who were coming in and who were new and found a way to throw last year out the window for those who returned. We came together. We came together and we did something special this year. Like I said, fell short of what we really wanted, but yeah, I couldn't be more proud of the group of guys that we have in the locker room.

Q. I know this ending is tough and it's probably hard to think about the whole year right now, but what did this particular year mean to you, just you personally from where you were?

REGGIE JACKSON: This year was my best year. The most challenging year. The most fun year. Not sure I was going to play. Ups and downs. Guys were injured. Still found my way into this locker room. First thing I told these guys was thank you for saving me. Yeah, I appreciate every guy in that locker room, I appreciate Paul for getting on that phone last year, at the end the season -- was talking to a buyout with Detroit. I'm thankful for everything I've experienced being here, this city making me feel at home. This organization welcoming me, my quirks, my strengths, my weaknesses, I wonder if I would still be playing without this team. So, yeah, I thank them.

It's a special year. Like I said, it sucks that we didn't win it, but I'll ride with those guys. Those guys rode with me all year and I'll ride with those guys. And that's what makes this one tougher, makes this extremely tough...end of the season, hoisting the trophy. I think that group, they found ways to push me every way and every day to challenge me, to ask me to be better, to encourage me to be better. Became family and it's been a great day in the brotherhood here. It's been an extremely special year under these extreme, difficult circumstances that everybody's been under with the pandemic, COVID, this core group is the one thing that allowed me to be myself and I'm forever thankful.

Q. What was it like playing with Paul?

REGGIE JACKSON: One of my best friends. One of my best friends, has been everything on this court. It's made the highs much more high and it's made the lows easier to deal with. To actually have a guy truly in your corner each and every day, a guy that you've built a relationship with for ten years, someone that you trust, someone that you call family. You're never down by yourself and you're never celebrating joyous moments by yourself.

So it's been good to have that man in my corner for the last year and a half -- I mean, for ten years, but daily in the locker room, daily on the court, having Paul George in my corner, it's special to me. It's been special to me and it's made the year what it has been. This group, getting to be around fun guys, being around the Pat-Bevs, getting to be around fun guys, Kawhi, Serge, welcoming Nico, being around Boogie, DeMarcus, being around Rondo, Luke, Yogi, I could name everybody, Jay, Amir, Daniel. If I'm missing anybody, I'm sorry.

There's been a bunch of personalities coming together getting to know each other, having one goal, looking in and focusing on it each and every day. And it's been fun, a group of guys that you know each and every day, the guy across from you, you know they will be the best they can be not only for themselves but for the team.

This city is special to me. I can't predict the future, I have no idea what happens, but this city, this organization, this fan base is special. It holds a special place in my heart forever. I'll forever be a Clipper. I'm thankful. I'm thankful for this opportunity. I'm thankful everybody who has been part of the journey who supported and made this year special.