The Greatest Coach of All Time - Phil Jackson and Dynasties He Built

In the last two decades, we have seen two of the greatest players to have ever played the game. One of them is the retired legend Michael Jordan and the other is the Los Angeles player Kobe Bryant. Both players have won combined an amazing ten NBA championships over the span of their careers and both have competitive playing styles.

And there is one thing that both these dominant players have in common throughout all their championship seasons and most of their careers. Both of them have been coached by Phillip "Phil" Douglas Jackson.

Phil was born Sept. 17, 2006, in Deer Lodge, Montana. He was a former professional basketball player with New York Knicks and the New Jersey Nets. As a player he had also won NBA championships with the Knicks. But to my generation, he will always be known as simply the Zen master and the one who truly brought out the best from both Jordan and Kobe.

He was a coach who believed strongly in the triangle offence and also that of a holistic approach to the game of basketball. Phil continues to apply Eastern philosophy to the game he coaches and even managed to write a book about what he does .

Phil will always be remembered for the Chicago Bulls dynasty he had helped built with several key players . Although many will remember the Bulls as being led by Michael Jordan, it was the chemistry and the coaching style of Phil Jackson and the players that led to respect shared among all and was the key factor in the amazing run to the 6 NBA titles.. Phil 's work with the Bulls was widely respected and known league wide.

The memory that i will always remember was of Phil standing by the sidelines during the NBA finals between the Bulls and Portland and watching him smile while Jordan sinks in several 3 pointers, It was one of many countless memories of a team that achieved an amazing league winning record of 72-10 during the first full season of Jordan''s comeback.

The sad part was watching Phil being forced to leave the Bulls by the inept and short sightedness of the Bulls management especially Jerry Krause. The tension built by Krause eventually led to many documented events that led to the final 6^th NBA championship simply remembered as the Last Dance.

Taking over the immensely talented yet difficult La Lakers was the next task for Phil and he did so admirably.With the dynamic duo of Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant alongside a dependable and strong supporting team such as Derek Fisher, Rick Fox, Devean George, Brian Shaw and Robert Horry. Phil coached the Lakers to the 2000 NBA finals where they won the NBA Championship by beating the Indiana Pacers.

Eventually in the coming 3 years the Lakes went on to a 3 peat and was widely regarded as the next dynasty. Unfortunately the team started to age and eventually internal problems between Kpbe and Phil led to the coach leaving. It was said that he would never return , but many knew it was only a matter of time before Phil Jackson would return to the job he was born to do.

And return Phil did in 2005 to the Los Angeles Lakers where rebuilding took place with Kobe Bryant being the main focus of the team. Eventually though it took some time but Phil and the Lakers won the NBA championship again in 2009.

The man behind the greatest dynasty of all time and who had coached two of the greatest players of any generation was truly back at the peak of the game.