Detroit Pistons’ Reggie Jackson Raring To Prove He’s Worth The Huge Contract

The Detroit Pistons gave Reggie Jackson a five-year $80 million contract in the 2015 offseason and the Pistons starting point guard is raring to prove that’s he’s worth the maximum deal in the upcoming NBA season.

"I've got to live up to trying to win a championship. Money is money. I worked just as hard when people said I didn't have as much, and I'm going to work just as hard after," the 25-year-old Jackson said during the team’s media day sessions via mlive.com.

"I want to be the best. And that's my approach, each and every day. That's what wakes me up and that's what drives me. If I'm not the best or my peers aren't telling me I'm the best, I've got to continue to go and earn that kind of respect," Jackson said.

Jackson was acquired the Pistons last season when previous starting point guard Brandon Jennings went down with a season-ending injury.

In 24 games since joining the Pistons, Jackson averaged 17.6 points, 4.7 rebounds and 9.2 assists in 32.2 minutes per game showing he can deliver starting PG numbers when given the opportunity. In four seasons with the Oklahoma City Thunder, which picked him in the first, round of the 2011 NBA Draft or the 24th overall selection, Jackson averaged 9.0 points, 3.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 21.1 minutes per game.

The Thunder traded Jackson to the Pistons in February 2014 in a three-team deal that brought Kyle Singler, D.J. Augustin, Steve Novak and Enes Kanter plus a 2019 second rounder to Oklahoma City and Grant Jerrett, Tibor Pleiss, Kendrick Perkins, OKC’s 2017 second rounder and 2017 first rounder to the Utah Jazz.

Jackson, who will earn $13.93 million in the 2015-2016 season, is pegged to once again start for the Pistons in the upcoming season.