What do you think about Phil Jacksons comments about the greatest athlete he ever coached?

Question

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_dont_lie/post/Phil-Jackson-Rodman-is-the-greatest-athlete-I-v?urn=nba,103886&post_comment=1&success=1

I think he knew if he said Jordan then people who be like "ho-hum, we knew that would be the answer" so he said someone else just to be interesting.

Answer 1

i think that rodman was the greatest rebounder that I have ever seen, and while he wasn't a big scorer he was a heck of an athlete

Answer 2

it's "athlete". that's something entirely different from "player". Rodman played hard for 48 minutes regardless of the situation. While Jordan is easily the best player he ever coached (I don't think too many can argue with that claim), Rodman was more of an athlete in general. No offense to the great MJ

Answer 3

Certainly Phil's opinion is valid because he saw both close up on a regular bases.  However, with that closeness comes the ability to take something for granted like when you have a fine girlfriend and you get caught looking at the waitress at Friday's instead of your Baby Backs.  MJ at his prime had a 50 inch vert, quicks, speed...if you put him into football combine measurements which determine athletic ability I believe that he would come out on top of all the players that Phil coached.  I think he is confusing Dennis' motor, for his athletic ability...sure he was in shape and would rebound and battle; but that again is motor and heart not athletic ability.

Answer 4

Phils finally lost his mind..........Rodman WOW that was a ridiculous answer. But I kinda understand why he woulda picked him, If he picked Michael everyone would have been like "O ya of course", if he woulda said Kobe Shaq woulda been pissed and probably Michael too........If he woulda said Shaq then Kobe would have been completely pissed and probably not play!! Ya know he just couldn't win, I think he just shoulda said nothing

Answer 5

well rodman was an athletic player.  i thought maybe he would say pippen but i wouldnt disagree with his comments.

with the lakers he might say its lamar odom.

Answer 6

I think Phil basically just picked a safe answer with Rodman, if he would have said Jordan was the best athlete he coached, Kobe would have gotten all pissed off.  (little side note i think is pretty funny...Kobe now wears #24, one number 'greater' than #23, and his olympic number was #10, one number 'greater' than #9 which Jordan wore), so whenever Kobe says he doesn't listen to the comparisons with MJ, I think he's full of it.  But for Phil to say Rodman was the best athlete b/c he played the 48th min of the game harder than he played the 1st is BS.....Rodman would contribute nothing on the offensive end, other than offensive rebounds (which he didn't have to expend much energy on that side of the court until a shot was taken).....MJ on the other hand had the ball on every offensive possession, and was one of teh best man to man defenders in his era.  That is why MJ was the best althete...although I would give props to Pippen too, who would gaurd PG, SG, SF and PF.