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Overview
Phil Jackson is the head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers. Jackson played 13 seasons in the NBA, winning two NBA Championships in 1970 and 1973 as a member of the New York Knicks. Jackson was also the head coach of the Chicago Bulls, leading his team to six NBA Championships in a span of eight years in the 1990s. After a short-lived retirement, Jackson returned to coach the Los Angeles Lakers, leading them to three consecutive NBA titles between 2000 and 2002. Phil Jackson's coaching signature is the triangle offense, which he adopted from assistant coach Tex Winter. In 1999, Jackson was named one of the 10 greatest coaches in NBA history during the league's 50th anniversary. Phil Jackson was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2007.
Early Years
Phil Jackson attended Williston High School in North Dakota and led his team to two state titles. As a senior in the North Dakota state championship, Jackson scored 48 points in a victory. Jackson was an excellent baseball player as well. While Jackson was in high school, future NBA coach Bill Fitch would recruit him to play at the University of North Dakota.
College Career
Phil Jackson attended the University of North Dakota, an NCAA Division II program. Jackson averaged just fewer than 20 points per game in his three years with the Fighting Sioux, leading his team to third- and fourth-place finishes in the NCAA Division II tournament. He was selected as a first-team All-American during his junior and senior years.
Professional Career
New York Knicks (1967-1978)
The New York Knicks selected Phil Jackson in the second round of the 1967 NBA draft. As a rookie, Jackson, whose nickname was "Head 'n' Shoulders," was selected to the NBA All-Rookie First Team, averaging 6.2 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. Jackson's game was limited offensively, but he made up for his lack of scoring with his intense defense.Phil Jackson missed the Knicks' first championship season in 1969-70 after he underwent spinal fusion surgery. Jackson got his first experience with coaching during that season while he was sidelined. Knicks head coach Red Holzman used Jackson as an assistant. Holzman would send Jackson out on the road to scout an opponent because he trusted his basketball judgment. Jackson returned to the Knicks the following season and was a key reserve in New York's second NBA Championship run in 1973. Jackson averaged a career-high 11.1 points per game during the 1973-74 season.
In 1974-75, Jackson would become a starter and have his best season statistically, averaging 10.8 points and 7.7 rebounds per game. He would also lead the league in a dubious stat, racking up the most personal fouls with 330.
New Jersey Nets (1978-1980)
After 11 seasons with the Knicks, Jackson finished his NBA career with the New Jersey Nets as a player-assistant coach. In 1980, Jackson retired. Over the course of his career, Jackson averaged 6.7 points and 4.3 rebounds in 807 games.Post-Playing Career
After his retirement in 1980, Phil Jackson served as a full-time assistant coach with the Nets during the 1980-81 season and later served as a color commentator for New Jersey broadcasts. Jackson would eventually get involved in coaching once again, taking a position with the Albany Patroons of the Continental Basketball Association. During the offseason, Jackson would coach in Puerto Rico for the Quebradillas Pirates and the Isabela Fighting Cocks. During the 1983-84 season, Jackson led the Patroons to a CBA championship and was named coach of the year in 1985. He was the first to win championships as a head coach in the NBA and CBA.
In 1990-91, Jackson proved that the Bulls were legit, going 61-21 and getting revenge on the Pistons in the Eastern Conference Finals. Chicago swept Detroit, advancing to the NBA Finals to take on Magic Johnson and the Los Angeles Lakers. Behind Jordan, the Bulls won their franchise's first NBA title, the first NBA Championship ring for Jackson as a head coach.
During the 1991-92 season, Jackson led the Bulls to a 67-15 record. After a close seven-game series with the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, the Bulls would defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals and earn another trip to the NBA Finals. In the 1992 NBA Finals, the Bulls defeated the Portland Trail Blazers in six games, winning back-to-back championships.
Jackson and the Bulls' record season record took a dip (57-25) during the 1992-93 season, but during the playoffs, the Bulls proved why they were the defending two-time NBA champions. In the 1993 NBA Finals, Chicago defeated the Phoenix Suns in six games and finished a "three-peat," the first time an NBA team had accomplished such a feat since the Boston Celtics won eight championships between 1959 and 1966.
On Oct. 6, 1993, Jordan retired from the Bulls, citing his lack of passion for the sport of basketball. Without Jordan, Jackson led the Bulls to 55-27 during the 1993-94 season. Jackson was unable to make it four straight championships, losing to the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference semifinals in seven games.
In 1994-95, the Bulls' record showed the effects of not having Jordan in their lineup. With Jackson struggling to get his Bulls in the playoffs, Jordan announced his return to the NBA on March 18, 1995. An 18-month layoff proved to be too much for Jordan and the Bulls, who lost to the Orlando Magic in the Eastern Conference semifinals in six games.
With Jordan back for the entire season, Jackson and the Bulls set a NBA record with 72 regular-season wins, improving by 25 games from the previous season. The 1971-72 Lakers team that had won 69 games held the previous record. Chicago went 39-2 at home, one win shy of tying the Boston Celtics for the best home record in NBA history. Jackson won his only NBA Coach of the Year award in 1996. The Bulls defeated the Seattle SuperSonics in the 1996 NBA Finals in six games. The Bulls' combined record for the regular season and playoffs was 87-13, also the best in NBA history.
The following season, the Bulls won 69 games, matching the second-best mark in NBA history. Jackson had a chance to lead Chicago to back-to-back 70-win seasons, but the Bulls lost their final two games of the season. After breezing through the Eastern Conference Playoffs, the Bulls defeated the Utah Jazz in the NBA Finals in six games.
The Bulls and Jazz met once again in the 1998 NBA Finals, with Chicago once again defeating Utah in six games for their second three-peat.
Jordan announced a second retirement from the NBA on Jan. 13, 1999. With Jordan gone, Jackson announced that he would be retiring as well. In his nine seasons as head coach of the Bulls, Jackson had led Chicago to championships in 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997 and 1998. His regular-season record with the Bulls was 545-193.
Towards the end of Jackson's career in Chicago, tensions grew between him and Bulls owner Jerry Krause. Jackson and Krause were friends, but the relationship soured after Sam Smith's 1991 book "The Jordan Rules." Things came to a head after Krause signed Jackson to a one-year contract in 1997-98 and informed him even that if the Bulls won the NBA Championship, Jackson wouldn't return as coach.
The Lakers breezed through the 2000-01 playoffs, sweeping through the first three rounds of the Western Conference. After losing Game 1 of the NBA Finals to the Philadelphia 76ers, the Lakers won the last four games. The Lakers set a NBA postseason record, going 15-1 in the playoffs.
The Sacramento Kings gave the Lakers a challenge in the 2001-02 playoffs, taking Los Angeles to seven games. However, in the NBA Finals, the Lakers swept the New Jersey Nets for their third consecutive NBA Championship. It was the third time in Jackson's coaching history that his teams won three consecutive championships.
A fourth straight appearance in the NBA Finals for Jackson and the Lakers came up short in 2002-03, when they lost to the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference semifinals in six games.
Jackson had his first public spats with Bryant and O'Neal during the 2003-04 season. Bryant was unhappy with Jackson's triangle offense. Things escalated to the point that Jackson hired a therapist to consult with. He even approached Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak, issuing an ultimatum: Either Bryant would leave or Jackson would step down. He detailed his problems with Bryant in a book titled "The Last Season," which was a recap of the 2003-04 season. With the additions of veterans Karl Malone and Gary Payton, Jackson had the role of coaching and managing four future Hall-of-Famers.
Despite being the favorites going into the 2004 NBA Finals, the Lakers were defeated by the Pistons in five games, signaling the end of the O'Neal era in Los Angeles. It was the first time in 10 NBA Finals appearances that Jackson came up short. On June 18, 2004, Jackson stepped down as head coach of the Lakers.
Jackson got the Lakers back in the playoffs during the 2005-06 season, but they were defeated in the first round by the Phoenix Suns in seven games after blowing a 3-1 series lead. It was the first time in Jackson's coaching history that his team failed to reach the second round of the postseason.
On Jan. 7, 2007, Jackson won his 900th regular-season game, becoming the fastest NBA coach to reach that mark. The Lakers would struggle once again in the 2006-07 season with a 42-40 regular-season record and another loss at the hands of the Suns in the first round of the playoffs.
Thanks to a midseason trade that saw the Lakers acquire center Pau Gasol from the Memphis Grizzlies, the Lakers returned to the NBA Finals in 2008 against the Boston Celtics but lost in six games.
On Dec. 25, 2008, Jackson became the sixth and fastest NBA coach to win 1,000 regular season games. Jackson's nine NBA Championships as a head coach is tied with Boston Celtics coach Red Auerbach for the most all-time. Through the 2008-09 regular season, Jackson's coaching record is 1041-435.
In 2009, Jackson's Lakers advanced to the 2009 NBA Finals against the Orlando Magic, where they won 4-1, giving Jackson his record-setting 10th coaching title.
He has an option for the '09-10 season worth roughly $12 million, but Jackson has not publically committed to returning, citing his health concerns. Jackson suffers from plantar fasciitis, which forced him to miss a road game against Portland in April, and has had two hip replacement operations since October 2006.
Nicknamed "The Zen Master," Jackson has a unique approach to coaching, using Eastern philosophy and Native American spiritual practices. He is known for his calm demeanor on the sideline during games and for his preference to let his teams play through poor stretches instead of calling timeouts.
Jackson has five books to his credit:
"Take It All!" (1970) (with George Kalinsky)
"Maverick" (1975) (with Charley Rosen)
"Sacred Hoops: Spiritual Lessons of a Hardwood Warrior" (1995) (with Hugh Delehanty)
"More Than a Game" (2001) (with Charley Rosen)
"The Last Season: A Team in Search of Its Soul" (2004) (with Michael Arkush)
In the autobiography "Maverick," Jackson went into detail about his experimental drug use, including LSD, during his playing career. It's thought to be one of the reasons why Jackson didn't land his first head coaching job until 1987.
Chicago Bulls (1987-1998)
In 1987, Jackson was hired as an assistant coach for the Chicago Bulls under head coach Doug Collins. On Dec. 17, 1988, Collins was ejected from a game with the Bulls trailing by 14 points. Jackson took over head coaching duties for the rest of the game and allowed his players to go out and play their own style. The Bulls would go on to come back and win, earning the respect and trust of his players and management. The following offseason, Jackson would replace Collins as head coach and inherited Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, two of the NBA's future superstars. With the Bulls struggling to find other weapons besides Jordan, Jackson implemented the triangle offense, thanks to Bulls assistant coach Tex Winter. In Jackson's first season as head coach, the Bulls went 55-27 and finished second in the Central Division. The Bulls would advance to the Eastern Conference Finals, losing to the Detroit Pistons in seven games.In 1990-91, Jackson proved that the Bulls were legit, going 61-21 and getting revenge on the Pistons in the Eastern Conference Finals. Chicago swept Detroit, advancing to the NBA Finals to take on Magic Johnson and the Los Angeles Lakers. Behind Jordan, the Bulls won their franchise's first NBA title, the first NBA Championship ring for Jackson as a head coach.
During the 1991-92 season, Jackson led the Bulls to a 67-15 record. After a close seven-game series with the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, the Bulls would defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals and earn another trip to the NBA Finals. In the 1992 NBA Finals, the Bulls defeated the Portland Trail Blazers in six games, winning back-to-back championships.
Jackson and the Bulls' record season record took a dip (57-25) during the 1992-93 season, but during the playoffs, the Bulls proved why they were the defending two-time NBA champions. In the 1993 NBA Finals, Chicago defeated the Phoenix Suns in six games and finished a "three-peat," the first time an NBA team had accomplished such a feat since the Boston Celtics won eight championships between 1959 and 1966.
On Oct. 6, 1993, Jordan retired from the Bulls, citing his lack of passion for the sport of basketball. Without Jordan, Jackson led the Bulls to 55-27 during the 1993-94 season. Jackson was unable to make it four straight championships, losing to the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference semifinals in seven games.
In 1994-95, the Bulls' record showed the effects of not having Jordan in their lineup. With Jackson struggling to get his Bulls in the playoffs, Jordan announced his return to the NBA on March 18, 1995. An 18-month layoff proved to be too much for Jordan and the Bulls, who lost to the Orlando Magic in the Eastern Conference semifinals in six games.
With Jordan back for the entire season, Jackson and the Bulls set a NBA record with 72 regular-season wins, improving by 25 games from the previous season. The 1971-72 Lakers team that had won 69 games held the previous record. Chicago went 39-2 at home, one win shy of tying the Boston Celtics for the best home record in NBA history. Jackson won his only NBA Coach of the Year award in 1996. The Bulls defeated the Seattle SuperSonics in the 1996 NBA Finals in six games. The Bulls' combined record for the regular season and playoffs was 87-13, also the best in NBA history.
The following season, the Bulls won 69 games, matching the second-best mark in NBA history. Jackson had a chance to lead Chicago to back-to-back 70-win seasons, but the Bulls lost their final two games of the season. After breezing through the Eastern Conference Playoffs, the Bulls defeated the Utah Jazz in the NBA Finals in six games.
The Bulls and Jazz met once again in the 1998 NBA Finals, with Chicago once again defeating Utah in six games for their second three-peat.
Jordan announced a second retirement from the NBA on Jan. 13, 1999. With Jordan gone, Jackson announced that he would be retiring as well. In his nine seasons as head coach of the Bulls, Jackson had led Chicago to championships in 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997 and 1998. His regular-season record with the Bulls was 545-193.
Towards the end of Jackson's career in Chicago, tensions grew between him and Bulls owner Jerry Krause. Jackson and Krause were friends, but the relationship soured after Sam Smith's 1991 book "The Jordan Rules." Things came to a head after Krause signed Jackson to a one-year contract in 1997-98 and informed him even that if the Bulls won the NBA Championship, Jackson wouldn't return as coach.
Los Angeles Lakers (1999-2004)
After a one-year sabbatical from coaching, Jackson was signed by the Los Angeles Lakers to a five-year, $30 million contract. Jackson hit the ground running with Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O'Neal and the rest of the Lakers, leading Los Angeles to a 67-15 record in the 1999-00 season. After an 11-year drought for the Lakers, Jackson led them to the NBA Finals. Los Angeles defeated Indiana in six games, the Lakers' first NBA Championship since 1988.The Lakers breezed through the 2000-01 playoffs, sweeping through the first three rounds of the Western Conference. After losing Game 1 of the NBA Finals to the Philadelphia 76ers, the Lakers won the last four games. The Lakers set a NBA postseason record, going 15-1 in the playoffs.
The Sacramento Kings gave the Lakers a challenge in the 2001-02 playoffs, taking Los Angeles to seven games. However, in the NBA Finals, the Lakers swept the New Jersey Nets for their third consecutive NBA Championship. It was the third time in Jackson's coaching history that his teams won three consecutive championships.
A fourth straight appearance in the NBA Finals for Jackson and the Lakers came up short in 2002-03, when they lost to the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference semifinals in six games.
Jackson had his first public spats with Bryant and O'Neal during the 2003-04 season. Bryant was unhappy with Jackson's triangle offense. Things escalated to the point that Jackson hired a therapist to consult with. He even approached Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak, issuing an ultimatum: Either Bryant would leave or Jackson would step down. He detailed his problems with Bryant in a book titled "The Last Season," which was a recap of the 2003-04 season. With the additions of veterans Karl Malone and Gary Payton, Jackson had the role of coaching and managing four future Hall-of-Famers.
Despite being the favorites going into the 2004 NBA Finals, the Lakers were defeated by the Pistons in five games, signaling the end of the O'Neal era in Los Angeles. It was the first time in 10 NBA Finals appearances that Jackson came up short. On June 18, 2004, Jackson stepped down as head coach of the Lakers.
Los Angeles Lakers (2005 -)
After Rudy Tomjanovich resigned as head coach of the Lakers after just seven months, speculation swirled that Jackson would once again return to coach the team. Less than a year after walking away, Jackson signed a three-year contract worth $30 million, the highest annual salary for an NBA coach. Having made amends with Bryant, Jackson was faced with a challenge of a Lakers team that missed the playoffs during the 2004-05 campaign for the first time in eight seasons.Jackson got the Lakers back in the playoffs during the 2005-06 season, but they were defeated in the first round by the Phoenix Suns in seven games after blowing a 3-1 series lead. It was the first time in Jackson's coaching history that his team failed to reach the second round of the postseason.
On Jan. 7, 2007, Jackson won his 900th regular-season game, becoming the fastest NBA coach to reach that mark. The Lakers would struggle once again in the 2006-07 season with a 42-40 regular-season record and another loss at the hands of the Suns in the first round of the playoffs.
Thanks to a midseason trade that saw the Lakers acquire center Pau Gasol from the Memphis Grizzlies, the Lakers returned to the NBA Finals in 2008 against the Boston Celtics but lost in six games.
On Dec. 25, 2008, Jackson became the sixth and fastest NBA coach to win 1,000 regular season games. Jackson's nine NBA Championships as a head coach is tied with Boston Celtics coach Red Auerbach for the most all-time. Through the 2008-09 regular season, Jackson's coaching record is 1041-435.
In 2009, Jackson's Lakers advanced to the 2009 NBA Finals against the Orlando Magic, where they won 4-1, giving Jackson his record-setting 10th coaching title.
He has an option for the '09-10 season worth roughly $12 million, but Jackson has not publically committed to returning, citing his health concerns. Jackson suffers from plantar fasciitis, which forced him to miss a road game against Portland in April, and has had two hip replacement operations since October 2006.
Nicknamed "The Zen Master," Jackson has a unique approach to coaching, using Eastern philosophy and Native American spiritual practices. He is known for his calm demeanor on the sideline during games and for his preference to let his teams play through poor stretches instead of calling timeouts.
Phil Jackson: Author
Jackson has five books to his credit:
"Take It All!" (1970) (with George Kalinsky)
"Maverick" (1975) (with Charley Rosen)
"Sacred Hoops: Spiritual Lessons of a Hardwood Warrior" (1995) (with Hugh Delehanty)
"More Than a Game" (2001) (with Charley Rosen)
"The Last Season: A Team in Search of Its Soul" (2004) (with Michael Arkush)
In the autobiography "Maverick," Jackson went into detail about his experimental drug use, including LSD, during his playing career. It's thought to be one of the reasons why Jackson didn't land his first head coaching job until 1987.
Personal
Philip Douglas Jackson was born Sept. 17, 1945, in Deer Lodge, Mont., to Charles and Elisabeth Jackson. While he was growing up, Jackson's parents served as evangelical ministers. Because of the religious environment he grew up in, Jackson didn't see his first movie until the age of 17 and wasn't allowed to attend dances in high school.
Jackson is currently dating Jeanie Buss, Lakers executive vice president and daughter of owner Dr. Jerry Buss. He has five children (Ben, Charley, Brooke, Chelsea and Elizabeth), four of whom he had with his former wife, June.
In 2008, Jackson was presented with an honorary Doctorate of Letters from his alma mater, the University of North Dakota.
Jackson is currently dating Jeanie Buss, Lakers executive vice president and daughter of owner Dr. Jerry Buss. He has five children (Ben, Charley, Brooke, Chelsea and Elizabeth), four of whom he had with his former wife, June.
In 2008, Jackson was presented with an honorary Doctorate of Letters from his alma mater, the University of North Dakota.
