Phil Jackson has coached some great players. However, even he would be hard-pressed to choose between Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan!
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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.
Happy Birthday to the Zen Master Phil Jackson!
2 Rings as a player
11 Rings as a coach
Highest win % by an NBA coach (70.4) pic.twitter.com/Vc4mf4DUGc— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) September 17, 2021
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