Phil Jackson turns 68 today and “We Want Phil” to have a Happy Birthday!
Jackson’s journey began in 1967 where he was drafted by the New York Knicks. He was a good all-around athlete who used his intelligence and hard work on defense to help the Knicks win two championships in 1970 and 1973. In 12 seasons, Jackson averaged 6.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.1 assists.
After having success overseas as a head coach, Jackson was hired as an assistant in 1987 by the Chicago Bulls where he was eventually promoted as head coach a couple years later. Not much else needs to be said about his success in Chicago, but Jackson coached Michael Jordan and the Bulls to six championships over nine seasons.
After a year off, Phil returned to the sidelines and brought immediate success to the Los Angeles Lakers in 1999. In his first year with the Lakers, the team went 67-15 and would eventually win three consecutive championships. Jackson temporarily left the Lakers in 2005, but came back and won two straight championships in 2009 and 2010. Phil Jackson became the winningest coach in NBA History with 11, surpassing Celtics head coach, Red Auerbach.
Jackson has transcended the game with the Triangle Offense and his holistic approach to coaching. The Zen Master was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2007 and was named one of the 10 greatest coaches in league history in 1996.
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