“It’s Beautiful.”

Luke Jackson was a center and instrumental member of the US Men’s basketball team in Tokyo. In this picture from Beaumont Enterprise, Jackson shows what the best in the world play for.

“I had one thing in mind – to win the gold medal representing my country,” Jackson told me in an interview. ” When they call your name and the anthem is playing, you are just so touched when you receive the medal for your country. I cried like a baby. I love my medal. It’s beautiful.”

Luke Jackson went on to a career in the NBA right after the Tokyo Olympics, joining the Philadelphia 76ers, playing with Wilt Chamberlain, and starting on the 1966-67 team that went on to beat the legendary Boston Celtics team to win the NBA Championship.