Phil Jackson

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Jackson played college basketball for the North Dakota Fighting Sioux (now known as the Fighting Hawks) for three years. He was selected in the 1967 NBA draft by the New York Knicks, with whom he won two NBA titles as a player. After playing twelve seasons in the league, he began coaching in minor basketball leagues for five years before he was hired as the assistant coach for the Chicago Bulls in 1987. Jackson was later promoted to head coach of the Bulls in 1989, and he helped the team win six championships (1991–1993, 1996–1998). In 1999, Jackson was hired as a head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, and he coached the team to three consecutive titles from 2000 to 2002. Following the Lakers' loss to the Detroit Pistons in the 2004 NBA Finals, he took a season off from coaching and returned to the Lakers in 2005, winning two more championships (2009, 2010) before his retirement in 2011. He later was team president of the New York Knicks, where he began his playing career, from 2014 to 2017. Jackson is known for his use of Tex Winter's triangle offense as well as a holistic approach to coaching that was influenced by Eastern philosophy, garnering him the nickname 'Zen Master'. Jackson cited Robert Pirsig's book Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance as one of the major guiding forces in his life. He also applied Native American spiritual practices as documented in his book Sacred Hoops. He is the author of several candid books about his teams and his basketball strategies.

In Their Own Story

The tension between Jackson and Bulls general manager Jerry Krause grew significantly during the team's second three-peat. Some believed Krause felt under-recognized for building a championship team and resented that Jackson was not invited to the wedding of Krause's stepdaughter in the summer of 1997, even though all assistant coaches and Tim Floyd were included. Despite this friction, Jordan intervened during contract negotiations, stating he would not play for any other head coach, allowing Jackson to return. The culmination of their second run came in the 1998 Eastern Conference Finals against the Indiana Pacers, led by first-year head coach Larry Bird. The Bulls needed seven games to overcome the series, showcasing their resilience even as the roster aged and injuries mounted. Throughout these years, Jackson maintained a calm demeanor, often applying Native American spiritual practices as documented in his book "Sacred Hoops" to keep the team grounded. His leadership style was characterized by a candid approach to strategy and a deep understanding of human psychology, which allowed him to navigate the complex dynamics of stars like Jordan, Pippen, and Rodman.

Reader's Guide

Over nine seasons, Jackson and the Bulls made the playoffs every year and won six championships, winning three straight championships over separate three-year periods. After losing to the Detroit Pistons in the 1990 conference finals, Jackson convinced Michael Jordan to adopt Winter's triangle offense in order to counter the Pistons' Jordan Rules defensive strategy, and the Bulls swept the Pistons in the 1991 conference finals, en route to defeating the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals. Two more championships followed, against the Portland Trail Blazers in 1992 and Phoenix Suns in 1993. The 'three-peat' was the first since the Boston Celtics won eight titles in a row from 1959 through 1966. Jordan's first retirement after the 1992–1993 season marked the end of the first 'three-peat'. In 1994, Jackson's Bulls faced the New York Knicks in the playoffs for the fourth consecutive time (the third straight time that Jackson faced off against Pat Riley who had been Knicks head coach since the 1991-92 season); this time the Knicks won in seven games in the conference semi-finals. The physical defense of the Knicks against the Bulls' superstars Jordan and Scottie Pippen during the 1992 playoffs had led to a feud between Jackson and Riley regarding the officiating and the Knicks' rough style of play. Although Jordan returned just before the 1995 playoffs, it was not enough to prevent a playoff elimination by the Orlando Magic at the conference semi-finals. For 1995-96, the revamped Bulls featured only Jordan and Scottie Pippen as the returning players from the 1991-93 'three-peat', plus the controversial trade for Dennis Rodman. Nonetheless, the Bulls set a regular season record of 72-10 before sweeping the Orlando Magic in the Eastern Conference Finals and then winning their fourth title over the Seattle SuperSonics in six games. The Bulls won their fifth and sixth titles over the Utah Jazz in 1997 and 1998, respectively.

Did You Know?

• Jackson won his first coaching championship with the Albany Patroons of the CBA in 1984.
• He was named CBA Coach of the Year in 1985.
• Jackson did not play during the Knicks' 1969–70 championship season due to spinal fusion surgery.