Phil Jackson
Overview
Philip Douglas "Phil" Jackson (born September 17, 1945) is a retired American professional basketball coach and player. Jackson is widely considered one of the greatest coaches in the history of the National Basketball Association (NBA)
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...

. His reputation was established as head coach of the Chicago Bulls
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...

 from 1989 through 1998; during his tenure, Chicago won six NBA titles. His next team, the Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...

, won five NBA titles from 2000 to 2010.
Quotations

I gave it my body and mind, but I have kept my soul.

I think the most important thing about coaching is that you have to have a sense of confidence about what you're doing. You have to be a salesman and you have to get your players, particularly your leaders, to believe in what you're trying to accomplish on the basketball floor.

My philosophy is that you don't motivate players with speeches, you have motivated players that you draft. That's where they come in and those are the guys that are competitive. You can not teach competitiveness.

I told them it's the white uniforms they wear. They look like little elves and fairies playing basketball out there.

On the Lakers 5-9 record in Sunday home games in 2005-2006 season.

We're ....................on the path to trying to give the coach a heart attack on the bench. Either that or a stroke. When I make a sarcastic remark after New Jersey's game about 'Why should you guys be affected by losing close games? You're used to doing it now. Now show me you can do it again tomorrow, they went out and did it! Proved me exactly right.

On losing a lot of close games in 2005-2006 season.

We're just out here kind of treading water as a basketball team right now. We're neither hot nor cold, neither fish nor fowl ... We're not daunting as a team physically.

On having an up and down 2005-2006 season.

I'm disappointed we weren't 6-0, to be honest with you, We let one get away.

Coming back from a 5-1 road trip in December 2005.

I don't see why they'll even go guard the other guys, they should all just go guard him. Put five against one.

On the team missing wide open shots and standing around while watching Kobe Bryant play in 2005-2006 season.

I'm not doing a great job. I'm probably going to have to call more timeouts here at the end of the game.

After Lakers lost three straight games decided by 3 points or fewer in 2005-2006 season.

We know that he is not a pussycat, that he is a big cat.

Responding to allegations that he called Kwame Brown a "pussycat".

 
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