Jannero Pargo
A journeyman NBA guard turned coach, whose decade-long playing career was built on instant offense and a readiness to shoot from anywhere.
Born 1979 (age 47)·American basketball player and coach·Birthday: October 22·Generation X
Biography
Jannero Pargo carved out an 11-year NBA career not as a star, but as a quintessential spark plug—a guard who entered games with a scorer's mentality and zero hesitation. Undrafted out of Arkansas, he embodied the grind, fighting for roster spots and earning respect through a fearless approach. He became a fan favorite in New Orleans, where his ability to catch fire off the bench provided crucial lifts for Chris Paul-led teams. His path took him across the league, from Chicago to Atlanta to Washington, always filling the same niche: a microwave scorer capable of changing a quarter's momentum with a flurry of deep threes. That same understanding of the game's rhythms and player psychology now fuels his second act as a respected assistant coach with the Indiana Pacers.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Jannero was born in 1979, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Jannero Was Born
The biggest hits of 1979
#1 Movie
Kramer vs. Kramer
Best Picture
Kramer vs. Kramer
#1 TV Show
Laverne & Shirley
Jannero's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1979Born
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1984Started school
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1992Became a teenager
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
1995Could drive
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
1997Could vote
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2000Turned 21
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2009Turned 30
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2019Turned 40
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 47 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Played 11 seasons in the NBA for eight different franchises, appearing in over 500 games.
- Averaged a career-high 9.7 points per game during the 2007-08 season with the New Orleans Hornets.
- Scored a career-high 30 points in a game for the Chicago Bulls against the Atlanta Hawks in 2005.
- Transitioned directly into coaching following his playing career, joining the NBA's coaching ranks.
Did You Know?
His brother, Jeremy Pargo, also played in the NBA.
Pargo played his college basketball at the University of Arkansas after starting at Neosho County Community College.
He led the NBA in three-pointers made per 48 minutes during the 2005-06 season.
He played professionally in Turkey and Greece during the 2011 NBA lockout.
“My role was to come off the bench and provide instant offense, to change the game's energy.”
