Stephen Jackson chose to play in other pro leagues after he was drafted by the Phoenix Suns as a second-rounder in 1997. For a year, Stak played for the Marinos De Oriente of Venezuela’s Liga Profesional de Baloncesto. While he unsurprisingly had a successful run with the Venezuelan ball club, it was the beautiful women in the country that left a mark on him.
To this day, Jackson still couldn’t help but reminisce about the women he met and spent time with in Venezuela. In fact, the retired forward still remembers how he almost blew his entire salary on Venezuelan women.
“Venezuela. One of the best, some of the most beautiful women I’ve ever seen in my life,” Jackson said on All The Smoke this past summer. “Marinos De Oriente. Yeah. Venezuela. I made $35,000, I came home with $2,000. Gave it all to the women. I would have gave them the 2,000, but I just had to have something to come [home with].”
Stak might have fathered a few children in Venezuela
Jackson proved that for a 21-year-old, playing overseas could sometimes be a bit challenging, especially when it comes to handling his finances. However, in Stak’s case, it’s very evident that he only had good problems while in Venezuela and he certainly doesn’t regret one bit of the time he spent there.
“I miss y’all. I miss y’all. They treated me so well,” Stak further reflected on his stint in Venezuela. “It was crazy stories too, but for the most part, I loved it.”
Jackson didn’t have to go into details of his escapades with women in Venezuela. His podcast co-host Matt Barnes could already imagine what he had done at the time.
Intrigued by Jackson’s revelation, Barnes quizzed his former teammate to divulge if he had fathered a few kids in Venezuela. Admittedly, Stak wasn’t sure, but he wouldn’t say no.
“Maybe. Strong possibility,” Jackson honestly stated.
Stak’s advice to fellow hoopers when it comes to women
It wouldn’t be a surprise if many men would envy Jackson over his undeniably unforgettable experience with women in Venezuela. However, in a separate discussion, Stak opened up about the downside of that lifestyle.
According to Jackson, most of his fellow ball players think that sleeping with different women is all fun and games. However, Stak said that based on his own experience, having multiple baby mamas is a huge and serious responsibility.
“I have kids by five women; I take responsibility for laying down with them, for making babies with them, I take full responsibility,” Jackson once revealed.
“Do not have kids with multiple women,” he pointed out. “Listen to me, that sh—t is overrated, played-out and it ain’t what you think it is.”
Like most professional athletes, Jackson eventually matured and settled. He is now happily married to his wife Tamara, whom he met in 2015 and married in 2021.
As for his children before he got married, Stak said he’s still paying child support for his five children, amounting to $18,500 per kid.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Dec 5, 2025, where it first appeared in the Off The Court section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.