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| | Thursday, 13 June, 2002, 03:48 GMT 04:48 UK Zen Master gets title number 10 Phil Jackson has won nine titles as a coach
As a player, Phil Jackson was an unorthodox and unspectacular forward who made the best of his opportunities. As a coach, Jackson is still unorthodox and making the best of what he has in front of him. The only difference now is that the man dubbed the Zen Master is enjoying spectacular success. Jackson won his ninth title as a coach on Wednesday - his 10th overall after picking up a ring as a player with the New York Knicks in 1973. His achievements include: In the history of the NBA only five teams have done the three-peat - Jackson has been coach of three of them. Despite his incredible success he still has his doubters.
In winning six titles with the Bulls, Jackson was said to have ridden the coat-tails of Michael Jordan. At the Lakers he has the most dominant player in the league in Shaquille O'Neal and the best all-round talent in Kobe Bryant. But O'Neal and Jordan played a combined 13 years in the league before teaming up with Jackson - without any title success. Jackson won in his second year as head coach with the Bulls. Before then Chicago had never even been to the NBA Finals. He went one better in LA, winning the title in his first season to end a 12-year drought for the NBA's second-most successful club. Jackson's coaching technique is as unconventional as his ungainly left-handed jump-shot used to be.
The 56-year-old once said he owes all his success to "meditation and cigars". Also central to Jackson's ability to run a team are his Zen beliefs and a mixture of Eastern and Western philosophy. Sceptics say that the presence of a Jordan or O'Neal on your team has more influence than sitting in a lotus position and breathing heavily. It is hard to imagine wealthy, young NBA stars sitting legs-folded surrounded by Native American symbols and burning incense in preparation for a big game, but he manages it.
During his NBA playing days Jackson wrote a book describing his use of marijuana and experimentation with LCD. Even his love life is anything but normal. He is in a relationship with Jeanie Buss - daughter of the Lakers owner and the vice president of business operations and future supremo of the club. Despite his eccentricities you will rarely find his players, past or present, criticising Jackson. One player who didn't see eye-to-eye with Jackson in Chicago was Horace Grant - power-forward during the Bulls' first three-peat. Grant left in acrimonious circumstances but the pair were re-united during his first year in LA. "The longer I was away and watched him operate, the more I stayed in touch with him and realised what a great coach he was," Grant said. His present players are also quick to praise his coaching success.
"I never won a championship before I met Phil Jackson," forward Rick Fox said. "We're all better players because of him." Comparisons with legendary coach Red Auerbach are inevitable but ultimately futile. Auerbach won his nine titles with the Boston Celtics - eight of them in a row - during the early years of the NBA. He built the Celtics from nothing, something Jackson has never had to do and has expressed no desire to. Auerbach was quoted saying Jackson took over sides "ready-made". Smoking Phil Jackson concedes he has been fortunate, but Auerbach also had Hall of Fame talent like Bill Russell, Bob Cousy, Bill Sharman and John Havlicek on his side. Before his final season in Chicago, Jackson said: "We know we can't challenge Boston's incredible run where they won 11 (championships) in 13 years." Given the Lakers' dominance it is not unfeasible for them to carry on winning for at least two more years. That would give Jackson 11 championships in 13 seasons. He will go on doing his thing - smoking cigars and winning championships - and leave talk of his greatness to others. When his Lakers contract comes to an end in two years one thing is for sure: He'll be out on his own as the most successful Zen Master in NBA history. | |
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