Last month, the Warriors publicly had fun with their rookies in a live stream of practice. Nemanja Nedovic and Ognjen Kuzmic were given children's backpacks to wear around throughout the season, a team tradition.
Rookies have been the punch line of pranks for years with Golden State. Last season, Kent Bazemore had his car filled with popcorn and Festus Ezeli walked into the locker room to see one of the tires to his car laying on the floor.
But Jackson said there is a big difference between hazing and playfully inviting the first-year players into the family fold. Having fun at the expense of rookies serves to make players feel like one of the guys, to anecdotally teach them about the hierarchy of the locker room, and relieve some of the pressure that comes with transitioning into the NBA.
But Jackson pointed out the pranks and jabs are not limited to rookies, or even the players. And he made sure to point out that jokes were supplemented with constant support and encouragement.
"I don't believe in rookie hazing," Jackson said. "I believe in rookies doing stuff as rookies. Getting coffee. Getting donuts. Picking up a tab. Not a $15,000 or $30,000 tab. I don't care who you are, that's disrespectful. One thing our guys did last year, they took the rookies to dinner and made the rookies pick up the tab. But I will guarantee you every single one of those rookies received more than what they spent that night. You've got a guy wearing a Gucci bag today because a veteran bought it. You got a guy carrying an iPhone 5S today because a veteran bought it. They've bought rookies clothes, took them out to dinner, bought them iPads. That's how you treat the rookies. I think we've got it twisted as a society."