Lakers Coach Phil Jackson Denies his Return to Chicago Bulls
Lakers Coach Phil Jackson, for the second time this month has denied all interest in switching to the Chicago Bulls. Jackson clarified that he has no desire in going back to coach the Bulls in the upcoming season.
A media report, which didn't believe Jackson’s May 4 statement in which he claimed that is not at all interested in the job opening, claimed through "back-channel inquiries" that Jackson might go for such an opportunity.
However, when asked from Jackson before Game 4 of the Western Conference finals, the reply was still the same – a plain “NO”.
"I have no desire to go back to Chicago and coach the Bulls," he said Tuesday.
The report also indicated that New Jersey Nets' had contacted Jackson for their coaching vacancy - indirectly trying to influence him back to the Bulls.
The report also indicated Jackson had been approached indirectly in relation to New Jersey’s coaching position.
Jackson verified on Tuesday that those channels have not reached him as yet and he has no information regarding the news item.
Born on September 17, 1945 in Deer Lodge, Montana, Philip Douglas "Phil" Jackson, is a former American veteran basketball player. Jackson is considered as one of the elite coaches in the history of National Basketball Association (NBA). He is the current coach of the Los Angeles Lakers.
With 10 NBA titles to his name as coach, Jackson is the winner of the maximum number of championships in NBA history – both, as a player and as a head coach. As a player, Jackson had won two rings with the New York Knicks in the 1970 and in 1973.
He established his reputation as the head coach of the Chicago Bulls from 1989 to 1998 after winning six NBA championships. Jackson was appointed as assistant coach for the Chicago Bulls in 1987. After serving for two years, Jackson was promoted as the head coach for the team. During his tenure, the Chicago Bulls made it to the play-offs in all the seasons. Over a period of nine years, the Chicago Bulls won on more than seven different occasions to set a new record in NBA history.
Regardless of Jackson’s work in building the Chicago Bulls up into a championship team, the tension between Bulls General Manager Jerry Krause and Jackson increased with time. In particular, Jerry believed that Jackson had to obey his commands. The tension kept on growing and in 1998, Jackson left the Bulls declaring he would never coach the team again. Bull’s last title under Jackson’s coaching came in the year 1998.
However, after a break of one year in 1999, Jackson decided to go for another chance with the Los Angeles Lakers. Jackson coached the Laker’s to four championship wins in impressive fashion.
Nicknamed the "Zen Master," Jackson is recognized as the master of mind games.
In 1996, during NBA’s 50th anniversary celebrations, Jackson was named as one of the top 10 coaches in the league’s history. Jackson’s coaching is influenced by an Eastern philosophy of coaching. He is famous for using a holistic approach for the team as well as Tex Winter's triangle offense.
Jackson is currently in his last year with the Lakers and is getting $12 million for the current season. He has remained steady throughout the tenure. Jackson said he has not yet decided whether he would stay with the franchise for a sixth successive season.
"As of now, I have not made up my mind about coaching or not coaching next year," he said on Tuesday. "That's all I can say, really, truthfully."
When asked that would he coach somewhere else? Jackson went on to say that so far he has not entertained any dialogue with anyone as he cannot even think of it.
The former Bulls coach said that if he did not retire, the probabilities are great that he would be coaching the Lakers in the next season.
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