How Rockets’ P.J. Tucker was inspired by Jerry Stackhouse as a youth

How Tucker was inspired by Jerry Stackhouse

But Tucker didn’t just become a car connoisseur independently overnight, as 19-year NBA veteran Jerry Stackhouse planted the early roots that turned the Houston Rockets’ center into a car aficionado.

Stackhouse gave Tucker a glimpse of what NBA stardom was like, as he’d often return home to North Carolina, flossing a lavish car collection of his own and giving Tucker inspiration to one day be able to do the same.

Stackhouse was recently on the Knuckleheads podcast, which is sponsored by The Players Tribune and explained the effect he had on a young P.J. Tucker.

“P.J. Tucker, when he used to go to Summer League in North Carolina, he was like ‘man that was my motivation, we used to run up to the cars.’ So I was glad to be able to lead the way a little bit.”

Tucker’s plight to becoming a household name yielded a bumpy road, as he was named North Carolina’s Mr. Basketball, making him the top prep player in the state. This granted Tucker a scholarship to the University of Texas, under then coach Rick Barnes. Tucker was named the Big 12 Player of the Year in 2006, while also yielding All-American honors, prompting him to enter the 2006 NBA Draft.

But the Sneaker King fell to the second round of the draft, and spent five seasons in international play between 2007-2012, while ultimately winning a championship in 2012 and being named Finals MVP.

Next: Tucker's rise in the NBA