Since 2011, Jackie Christie has been stirring up drama on Basketball Wives, giving viewers a front-row seat to her antics. But believe it or not, her behind-the-scenes behavior is even more outrageous.
Jackie and her husband, former NBA player Doug Christie, have a rock-solid relationship that’s well-known in basketball circles. Doug is completely devoted to Jackie and their family—so much so that some people jokingly wonder if Doug needs to blink twice if he needs help.
Today, we’re taking a deep dive into this wild story. But before we get started, don’t forget to check out rrgsnacks.com, our online concession stand featuring teriyaki beef jerky, cookies and cream popcorn, and watermelon licorice.
Takari’s memoir tells a gripping story of her mother, Jackie. Described as a gold digger with a sharp attitude, Jackie was known for being confrontational and bold, often seen roaming the streets of Seattle. She once tried her luck in California, aiming to become a model and entertainer, but eventually returned to Seattle without achieving the fame she desired.
Back in Seattle, Jackie met Tyrone Lee, an alleged drug lord. The two married in December 1988, and Takari was born in August 1989. Takari recalls a childhood filled with luxury, claiming the Lee family was deeply involved in a profitable drug empire. She remembers that no one in her family seemed to have a typical 9-5 job, as her father’s family had supposedly pulled Jackie’s family into the drug business.
However, by the time Takari was born, her parents had already separated. Tyrone’s interest in other women was something Jackie couldn’t tolerate, leading to their divorce in November 1989. Takari reveals that she was mostly raised by her grandmother because Jackie was often busy with her hustles and various relationships.
Looking back, Takari reflects, “I like to think I didn’t live with my parents in my early years because of their lifestyle, but the truth is, they were just selfish as hell.” Eventually, the law caught up with her father, and Takari hints that Jackie might have been the one to tip off the authorities. Tyrone ended up serving three years in prison, and by 1992, their drug empire had crumbled.
Doug was back in his hometown of Seattle when a mutual friend introduced him to Jackie at a sports bar. At the time, Doug was still a student at Pepperdine University. There are two versions of how things went down. According to Takari, Doug was interested in Jackie, but Jackie allegedly told him he needed to get his money up first. But Doug has a different story: he asked for Jackie’s number, she gave it to him, but he didn’t call her.
A few weeks later, they ran into each other at a party, and Doug asked her to dance. He told the Seattle Times, “The music has never stopped.” After being picked up by the Seattle SuperSonics in the 1992 NBA draft, Doug was immediately traded to the Lakers. Three months later, Jackie was pregnant. Takari claims Doug and Jackie weren’t even in an official relationship at the time, and Jackie was seeing other men. Doug’s mom reportedly questioned the paternity of the unborn child, causing a rift.
Jackie gave birth to their daughter Chantal and raised her in Seattle while Doug played in LA. Once a paternity test confirmed Doug was the father, he moved Jackie and their newborn to LA. Takari stayed behind with her grandmother in Seattle until Doug and Jackie brought them to LA. During a season 2 episode of Basketball Wives, Chantel alleged that Jackie was emotionally and mentally abusive to Takari, teasing her about her weight. “For years, my sister and I didn’t speak to each other, no relationship whatsoever because she always played us against each other. She’s fat, and she’s black, and you’re skinny, and you need to stay in shape, and you’re the model,” Takari also confirmed these allegations.
One day, while sitting in his driveway, Doug claimed he received several messages from God. In that moment, his purpose in life became clear: he wanted to marry Jackie. He proposed in 1996, and they married just three days later. Jackie shared with HuffPost that their wedding day was full of mishaps. They lost the ring, Doug’s tuxedo ripped because it was too tight, and as they walked down a winding staircase to meet the minister, she kept telling Doug, “You can still change your mind about this. We can still have a party. You don’t have to marry me.” But Doug went through with it, and since then, they’ve renewed their vows every year. They also welcomed a son named Dougie Jr.
During Doug’s NBA career, he moved between several teams. Fans started noticing his frequent hand signals during games. Initially thought to be play calls, it was later revealed that these were messages to Jackie. According to the New York Times, Doug made these hand signals up to 50 times per game to show his love and let his family know they were more important than basketball. Jackie had her own signals, including one to remind Doug to smile and another to encourage him to drive the ball to the hoop. She told the Washington Post that she loved being Doug’s support system, both on and off the court, providing foot rubs and sexy strip teases.
Jackie traveled to all the away games, sitting next to Doug on the team plane. When they traveled by bus, she followed in her car, often speaking to Doug on the phone the entire trip. In her book, Takari confirmed that Jackie followed Doug around the U.S. to make sure he wouldn’t cheat, often asking her mom to watch their children so she could stay by Doug’s side. On the Howard Stern Show, Jackie explained the real reason for her travels: maintaining their tradition of intimacy six times a week. Doug even pulled out a whip during the interview, confirming their adventurous bedroom activities.
While most wives were enjoying the perks of their husbands’ multi-million-dollar paychecks, Jackie had a different focus: keeping Doug away from temptation. This wasn’t hard for Doug since Jackie was always by his side. She arrived at games with him and left with him afterward. Even when the locker room was closed to outsiders, she found a way to stay close, passing Doug little notes through an attendant and receiving replies from him.
In an interview, Doug revealed that during his basketball career, he didn’t look at other women, avoided conversations, and didn’t even make eye contact. Since their marriage, Jackie knew about every single conversation he had with any woman.
You might wonder if Doug was okay with all this. According to him, he loved their rituals. He said, “I choose this. There is nothing out there for me to want or try to go after. That’s not what I’m trying to be about.”
When Doug played for the Toronto Raptors, Jackie’s behavior became even more intense. She told the Times, “I just felt I needed to protect my territory in the beginning, so I had a lot of issues.” She confronted a young, pretty female fan who wanted an autograph and a kiss from Doug. Jackie recalled that a security guard grabbed her, but she told the fan to back off, her voice sounding so frighteningly loud that she joked someone should have called an exorcist.
Jackie was also uncomfortable with female employees entering the locker room to distribute statistics after games, as Doug would be changing out of his sweaty uniform. To address this, Doug started changing in a separate room.
When the Raptors traded Doug to the Sacramento Kings at the end of the 2000 season, an anonymous Eastern Conference team official told the New York Times that they had warned the Kings about Jackie’s behavior in Toronto. Despite the warnings, the Kings decided to give Doug a chance.
In October 2002, during a preseason game against the Lakers, Doug got into a scuffle with Rick Fox. The tension didn’t stop there—it carried over into the tunnel where Doug and Rick went at it again. Then, out of nowhere, Jackie charged in, swinging her purse and ready to defend Doug. That was the moment the media realized Jackie wasn’t your typical basketball wife who stayed quietly on the sidelines. She was always ready to stand up and protect her husband.
Later that same year, a media relations manager for the team claimed she was fired after leaving a work-related message on the Christies’ home phone. She ended up suing the team, Doug, and Jackie. The Christies’ publicist said the case was dismissed, but we couldn’t confirm that.
Amidst the negative press, Jackie struck back by posting a “Haters Club” list on her personal website, naming media members who had criticized her and Doug over the years. She told Playerwives, “No matter what we said or how well he played, or how I never caused any problems, they always found a way to take jabs at us.”
In 2005, Doug joined the Orlando Magic, and the drama continued. The Orlando Sentinel reported that during his debut game, he constantly communicated with Jackie, who was eight rows up, despite the noisy stadium. They counted 50 hand signals he made to her during the game. Jackie explained to the newspaper, “You know what it is? He loves me, and I love him. Is that weird?”
Doug only lasted one season in Orlando before being released. He then signed a one-year contract with the Dallas Mavericks, but after surgery, he was waived by the team. Hoping to rejoin the Toronto Raptors, Doug and Jackie spent their free time making a quirky movie called “The Christies Uncut.” One brave reviewer from the LA Times described a scene with a furry bunny on a bed, Doug in underpants with a dog collar, and Jackie dressed as a maid, pulling the leash and whipping Doug as he shouted, “Again, again, again!” For those curious, we’ve linked the DVD in the description box.
Doug and Jackie starred in a reality show called “Committed: The Christies,” but it only lasted six episodes. After a two-year break, Doug signed a 10-day contract with the Los Angeles Clippers in 2007. When news broke that he was heading to LA, the LA Times published an article that focused on Jackie. The journalist noted that Jackie bought seats opposite the Clippers’ bench so she could keep an eye on Doug and communicate with him. Doug would raise his left arm and make a hook ’em horns gesture to signal his love for her—he did this 13 times in the first six minutes of the game, even while sitting on the bench. He later told the newspaper, “I love my wife, and when basketball is over, I will have a wife that I love, and I will go off into the sunset with her and my children.”
After signing a second 10-day contract, Doug parted ways with the team, allowing him to spend all his time with Jackie. Their relationship quirks largely flew under the radar until Jackie joined “Basketball Wives” in 2011. A new generation of fans quickly learned that Jackie still goes to great lengths to keep Doug close. In a 2016 episode of the VH1 series, she said, “If my man laughs with another female like this, I’m crushed.” She also revealed she routinely checks Doug’s testicles to see if he’s been unfaithful, explaining to TMZ, “If they’re emptier and smaller, then they’ve been emptied somewhere.”
From an outsider’s perspective, their relationship might seem unusual, but it clearly works for them. The Christies are preparing for their 27th wedding anniversary. Doug is now an assistant coach for the Sacramento Kings, and Jackie continues to cheer him on from the sidelines, signaling her love every step of the way.