Phil Jackson

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 thirteen 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 arena hums with tension as the Bulls take the floor against the Knicks in a pivotal playoff series. Jackson stands at mid-court, his long hair and calm demeanor a stark contrast to the rowdy energy of Madison Square Garden. He watches his players execute the triangle offense, knowing that every possession is a battle against the defensive pressure of New York's veterans.

Reader's Guide

Jackson was born in Deer Lodge, Montana, on September 17, 1945. His parents, Charles and Elisabeth Funk Jackson, were Assemblies of God ministers. He attended high school in Williston, North Dakota, where he played varsity basketball and led the team to a state title. Bill Fitch successfully recruited Jackson to the University of North Dakota. In 1967, Jackson was drafted in the second round by the New York Knicks. He was a top reserve on the Knicks team that won the NBA title in 1973. After crossing the Hudson in 1978 to play two seasons for the New Jersey Nets, Jackson retired as a player after the 1979–80 NBA season. He began his head coaching career in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA) and Puerto Rico's Baloncesto Superior Nacional (BSN). On October 10, 1987, Jackson was hired as an assistant coach by the Chicago Bulls under Doug Collins. He was promoted to head coach after Collins was fired in 1989. Over nine seasons, Jackson and the Bulls made the playoffs every year and won six championships. In 1994, Jackson's Bulls faced the New York Knicks in the playoffs; the Knicks won in seven games in the conference semi-finals.

Did You Know?

• Jackson did not play during New York's 1969–70 championship season due to spinal fusion surgery.
• Jackson lived in Leonia, New Jersey, during his time with the Knicks.
• Jackson won his first coaching championship with the Albany Patroons of the CBA in 1984.
• Jackson's future Knicks teammate Walt Frazier was the biggest star of the Southern Illinois Salukis, who beat Jackson's college team in 1965 and 1966.