Warrior Player Pranks Nellie on Live Radio

Warriors' coach Don Nelson's cranky granddad routine isn't particularly well-suited  for contemporary media relations.

He started Thursday's pre-game interview on KNBR by bellowing, "I just took a nap."

So Stephen Jackson -- or "Snack Jack" as play-by-play guy Tim Roy calls him (BTW- Is anyone else calling him that? It's cute!) -- took it upon himself to savvy up one of Nelson's recent radio obligations.

On Wednesday night's Warriors Roundtable program, archived at NBA.com, Jackson phoned in claiming to be fan "Billy" from Oakland. 

Nelson does not at all recognize the voice of one of his own players, allowing himself to be punk'd for several minutes on end. The incident can be heard online under the "Don Nelson Answers Fan Questions (II)" heading.

Jackson, as "Billy", begins his call by declaring, "Stephen Jackson's kinda looking like Magic Johnson these days!"

Nelson, completely unaware that he is actually talking to Stephen Jackson, launches into a minutes-long critique of Jackson's recent play. "He's not a rebounder," Nelson says. "Jack does all of (the things we ask him), except he's not a great rebounder."

"Coach, this IS Jack", Jackson is forced to tell him, creating a fabulously awkward moment.

Let's hope that in future interviews, Nelson doesn't allow himself to be caught napping.

Joe Kukura is a freelance writer who is not also not a great rebounder.