Phil Jackson would have to flip a coin if he had to pick between Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant

Nithin Joseph | 22/08/2022
6'6 Kobe Bryant pushed his limits after watching Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson

Phil Jackson has coached some great players. However, even he would be hard-pressed to choose between Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan!

There have been a number of great coaches to come through the NBA. From the dominance of Red Auerbach in the 60s and 70s to the modern stylings of Steve Kerr.

One of the more polarizing coaches the league has seen was Phil Jackson. The man dubbed the Zen Master was a serial winner, winning championships both as a player and as a coach.

Over the course of his time in the NBA, Jackson won 13 NBA championships. Two as a player with the New York Knicks and 11 as a coach for the Chicago Bulls and the LA Lakers. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest coaches of all time.

Also Read: “Take Michael Jordan out, he’s holding the ball too long!”: When Tex Winter demanded Phil Jackson sub out Bulls legend in Game 6 of 1992 NBA finals

However, Jackson didn’t achieve greatness alone. He had a lot of help, including from two of the greatest of all time, Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan.

Phil Jackson says he would have a hard time picking between Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, so he would flip a coin

Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant are two of the greatest the NBA has ever seen. Their ability to score and their mentality to keep on winning were rare commodities in the league.

What makes them even more special, is the fact that they are so alike. MJ was everything Kobe aspired to be, and the Black Mamba trained himself to become a carbon copy of his idol, both in skill and in mind.

They even had the same coach for the majority of their careers in Phil Jackson. A coach who admits that it would be extremely difficult to pick between the two. So much so that he would flip a coin and be happy with whoever he gets!

Jackson certainly was an amazing coach, but it most definitely helped to have two of the greats to ever stop on the hardwood on his rosters.

Also Read: 11x champ Phil Jackson reveals striking difference between Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant

Post Edited By: Akash Murty
Kobe Bryant Michael Jordan Phil Jackson

About the author

Nithin Joseph

Nithin is a content writer at The SportsRush. Like his favorite athlete Kobe Bryant, the company has helped Nithin elevate his writing skills to a whole new level, especially as an NBA content writer. With over 1500 articles to his name, Nithin's love for the sport knows no bounds. And, as he continues to watch the sport on a daily basis, he hopes his fascination with the NBA, especially the Miami Heat will inspire more and more readers to give the sport a chance. Perhaps, one day making basketball in India as big as it is in the United States.

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