Phil Jackson
Philip Douglas Jackson was born on the 17th of September, 1945 in Deer Lodge, Montana. His parents Charles and Elisabeth Funk Jackson served as ministers for the Assemblies of God church. The family lived in a remote area where no dancing or television existed within their home. Jackson did not see his first movie until he reached his senior year of high school. He attended his first dance only after entering college. This austere environment shaped his early years before he ever touched a basketball court. His brother Chuck later speculated that the three sons threw themselves into athletics because it was the only time they were allowed to do what other children could do. Jackson assumed he would become a minister like his father.
Jackson played college basketball for the North Dakota Fighting Sioux from 1962 through 1965. Bill Fitch recruited him to the University of North Dakota during his junior year of high school. The team finished third and fourth in the NCAA Division II tournament in 1965 and 1966 respectively. They lost both times to the Southern Illinois Salukis led by Walt Frazier. Jackson was drafted in the second round by the New York Knicks in 1967. He became one of the NBA's leading substitutes despite having very little playing time. He won an NBA title with the Knicks in 1973 but missed the 1969, 70 championship season due to spinal fusion surgery. He authored a photo diary book called Take It All about that 1970 championship run. After crossing the Hudson River in 1978 he played two seasons for the New Jersey Nets before retiring after the 1979, 80 season.
On the 10th of October 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. He met Tex Winter around this time and became a devotee of Winter's triangle offense strategy. Over nine seasons Jackson and the Bulls made the playoffs every year. They won six championships between 1991 and 1998. The team swept the Detroit 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. This three-peat was the first since the Boston Celtics won eight titles from 1959 through 1966. Jordan's first retirement after the 1992, 93 season marked the end of the first three-peat. In 1994 Jackson's Bulls faced the Knicks again but lost in seven games during the conference semi-finals. The revamped Bulls set a regular season record of 72 wins and 10 losses in 1995, 96 before winning their fourth title over the Seattle SuperSonics.
Jackson took over as head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers in 1999 replacing Kurt Rambis. His first year saw the team go 67 wins and 15 losses. They eliminated the Portland Trail Blazers in a tough seven-game series before winning the 2000 NBA championship by beating the Indiana Pacers coached by Larry Bird. With Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant the team won two additional titles in 2001 and 2002. These victories formed his third three-peat as a head coach. Public tension between Bryant and O'Neal slowed the team down during the 2003 playoffs. They were beaten in the second round by the eventual champion San Antonio Spurs. Bryant had a personal distaste for Jackson's triangle offense calling it boring. He would often disregard the set offense to experiment with one-on-one moves. This infuriated the normally calm Jackson who demanded that Bryant be traded. Lakers management rejected the request. On the 18th of June 2004 Jackson left his position after losing to the Detroit Pistons in the 2004 NBA Finals. He sought to double his salary from $6 million to $12 million on his expiring contract.
On the 18th of March 2014 Jackson was introduced as president of the New York Knicks after signing a five-year $60 million contract. Mike Woodson and his entire staff were fired by Jackson on the 21st of April 2014 over one week after the conclusion of the season. The Knicks finished with a 37 wins and 45 losses record placing them ninth in the Eastern Conference standings. Derek Fisher was hired as head coach on the 9th of June 2014. Fisher had played under Jackson as a Laker and won five championships together. The Knicks traded guard Raymond Felton along with Tyson Chandler to the Dallas Mavericks on the 25th of June 2014. They received Shane Larkin José Calderón Samuel Dalembert and Wayne Ellington plus two picks for the following day's draft. On the 7th of January 2015 the Knicks set a franchise record with 13 straight losses. They fell 101, 91 to the Washington Wizards giving New York its longest losing streak in the franchise's 69-year history. This record extended to 16 straight losses after an NBA Global Games loss against the Milwaukee Bucks in London. The team ended the season with a franchise-worst record of 17 wins and 65 losses.
Jackson is known for using Tex Winter's triangle offense alongside a holistic approach influenced by Eastern philosophy. He garnered the nickname Zen Master from this style. He 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. Jackson authored several candid books about his teams and basketball strategies including The Last Season which described tensions surrounding the 2003, 04 Lakers team. That book was pointedly critical of Kobe Bryant. He has used marijuana and LSD in the past according to statements made in 2010. He attended some Grateful Dead concerts in the 1970s and 1990s identifying himself as a Deadhead fan. In a 1990 interview with the Chicago Tribune he said he did not care for preachers who browbeat the audience. He described his religious views as a pantheistic-deistic-American Indian combination religion that rang true to him.
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Common questions
When and where was Phil Jackson born?
Philip Douglas Jackson was born on the 17th of September, 1945 in Deer Lodge, Montana. His parents Charles and Elisabeth Funk Jackson served as ministers for the Assemblies of God church.
How many NBA championships did Phil Jackson win with the Chicago Bulls?
Phil Jackson won six championships between 1991 and 1998 while coaching the Chicago Bulls. The team swept the Detroit Pistons in the 1991 conference finals en route to defeating the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals.
What happened during Phil Jackson's tenure with the New York Knicks in 2014?
On the 18th of March 2014 Jackson was introduced as president of the New York Knicks after signing a five-year $60 million contract. Mike Woodson and his entire staff were fired by Jackson on the 21st of April 2014 over one week after the conclusion of the season.
Why did Phil Jackson leave the Los Angeles Lakers in 2004?
On the 18th of June 2004 Jackson left his position after losing to the Detroit Pistons in the 2004 NBA Finals. He sought to double his salary from $6 million to $12 million on his expiring contract but management rejected the request.
Where does Phil Jackson get his Zen Master nickname from?
Jackson is known for using Tex Winter's triangle offense alongside a holistic approach influenced by Eastern philosophy which garnered him the nickname Zen Master. He cited Robert Pirsig's book Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance as one of the major guiding forces in his life.