Since the dawn of the Showtime era, the Los Angeles Lakers have been the shining example of sustained greatness. From 1980 to the present day, no franchise has won more championships than Los Angeles' 11—with the Chicago Bulls a distant second with six.
Unfortunately, the head coach responsible for delivering five of those 11 championships—as well as all six of Chicago's—has been thus far impossible to sustainably replace.
When JJ Redick was hired earlier this summer, he became the Lakers' eighth head coach since Jackson retired in 2011. Luke Walton was the longest-tenured coach at 246 games, while Frank Vogel lasted just 225 despite leading the team to a title in 2019-20.
In a recent interview with Hannah Storm on NBA DNA, Lakers governor Jeanie Buss offered insight into how Jackson created a championship culture in the locker room.
Lakers Governor @JeanieBuss talks about how Phil Jackson built a family dynamic between @Shaq, Kobe, and his legendary 3-Peat teams from 00-02, on the new #NBADNA with @HannahStormESPN. @NBAHistory @Lakers https://t.co/eDSFK5byOf pic.twitter.com/DN0guiCxsb
— iHeartPodcasts (@iHeartPodcasts) July 16, 2024
For those who can't watch the video, Buss said the following about Jackson and the unique environment he fostered:
“I saw it on the other side when I dated Phil for 15 years. And so, when I was his significant other, I learned how to look at the team through the lens of a coach. And I remember getting in a fight with him because he was bringing the team in on Thanksgiving to practice. And I’m like: 'Why are you doing that? Give them one day off!’ He’s like: 'Settle down. Jeanie, what I’m trying to show them by having them practice on Thanksgiving, I want to establish that this is their family as well. And you have to be with your family on a holiday.’ And that’s powerful. When a coach can harness that and create that family dynamic then you know you have something really special.”
It's certainly debatable whether or not the players should have to come in for practice on a holiday, but Jackson's 11 championships seem to suggest his strategies paid off.
Jeanie Buss recalls family dynamic Phil Jackson created in the locker room
Jackson is the single most accomplished coach in NBA history. He won six championships with Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and the Bulls between 1990-91 and 1997-98, producing two different three-peats along the way.
Jackson would then repeat that success with Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal by orchestrating a third three-peat between 2000 and 2002.
Jackson added two more championships in 2008-09 and 2009-10, as well as NBA Finals appearances in 2003-04 and 2007-08. His 11 titles are the most of any coach in Association history, with Red Auerbach at nine being the only other sideline leader with more than five.
Jackson also boasts the highest regular season win percentage of all time at .704, and his record-setting 229 postseason wins are 58 more than Pat Riley at No. 2 with 171.
In addition to racking up wins and championships at an unprecedented rate, Jackson has managed to navigate murky waters as well as any coach in NBA history. He's known as The Zen Master for his uncanny ability to connect with his players on a philosophical level and manage the egos of multiple superstars.
The family dynamic that Buss describes goes a long way toward accounting for the success that Jackson experienced in that regard.
Talent hasn't been an issue for the Lakers in recent years, as Anthony Davis and LeBron James have led the organization since 2019. Unfortunately, during that five-year period, Davis and James have played for two head coaches and are now preparing for their first season under a third.
There's more than one way to coach a team to success, but Buss' comments may have revealed one of the missing ingredients from recent Lakers teams.