Whatever level of talent he might have, he appears to be a key part in raising end performance by at least 10 to 15%. That means ten to 12 games a season and thus the difference (in the actual examples) between his teams winning rings instead of being eliminated in first or second round of playoffs each year.
I will agree he had great talent but let me say this. Kobe and shaq were both in LA before Phil. Del Harris didn't win a title with them. Jordan and Pippin were both in Chicago before Phil. Doug Collins didn't win a title with them. In fact in both cases the team won more games the first year Phil took the team over.
About his Bulls career. He got Jordan to buy into the team concept. Pippen and Grant were great talents that he got to win. He takes on giant egos and gets the best of them. Many thought it was a mistake for Chicago to get Rodman - he was a model teammate. Also got Kobe and Shaq to co-exist.
If coaching stars were so easy, the Yankees would have 50 WS titles by now. Easily a top-3 coach.
I would put Pat Riley, Rudy Tomjanovich and Gregg Popovich before Phil Jackson.
His stupid philosophy of waiting and letting the players work it out during a slump in a game is idiotic. In the Houston game he could have called a time out and disrupted a run and a hot start by the Rockets but instead he let it go from 9-0 to something out of hand and let the Rockets stay in a groove.
He's too smug having coached Jordan and Pipped and Shaq, Kobe etc. I don't think he's top 5. Nobody can convince me otherwise but everyone has their own opinions.
Peace.
His stupid philosophy of waiting and letting the players work it out during a slump in a game is idiotic. In the Houston game he could have called a time out and disrupted a run and a hot start by the Rockets but instead he let it go from 9-0 to something out of hand and let the Rockets stay in a groove.
He's too smug having coached Jordan and Pipped and Shaq, Kobe etc. I don't think he's top 5. Nobody can convince me otherwise but everyone has their own opinions.
Peace.
