Phil Jackson

Philip Douglas Jackson is coach of the Los Angeles Lakers and a former player for the New York Knicks.

On Basketball and Coaching

• I gave it my body and mind, but I have kept my soul.

• I think the most important thing about coaching is that you have to have a sense of confidence about what you're doing. You have to be a salesman and you have to get your players, particularly your leaders, to believe in what you're trying to accomplish on the basketball floor.

• My philosophy is that you don't motivate players with speeches, you have motivated players that you draft. That's where they come in and those are the guys that are competitive. You can not teach competitiveness.

On Lakers

• I told them it's the white uniforms they wear. They look like little elves and fairies playing basketball out there.
  • On the Lakers 5-9 record in Sunday home games in 2005-2006 season.

• We're ....................on the path to trying to give the coach a heart attack on the bench. Either that or a stroke. When I make a sarcastic remark after New Jersey's game about 'Why should you guys be affected by losing close games? You're used to doing it now. Now show me you can do it again tomorrow, they went out and did it! Proved me exactly right.
  • On losing a lot of close games in 2005-2006 season.

• We're just out here kind of treading water as a basketball team right now. We're neither hot nor cold, neither fish nor fowl ... We're not daunting as a team physically.
  • On having an up and down 2005-2006 season.

• I'm disappointed we weren't 6-0, to be honest with you, We let one get away.
  • Coming back from a 5-1 road trip in December 2005.

• I don't see why they'll even go guard the other guys, they should all just go guard him. Put five against one.
  • On the team missing wide open shots and standing around while watching Kobe Bryant play in 2005-2006 season.

• I'm not doing a great job. I'm probably going to have to call more timeouts here at the end of the game.
  • After Lakers lost three straight games decided by 3 points or fewer in 2005-2006 season.

• We know that he is not a pussycat, that he is a big cat.
  • Responding to allegations that he called Kwame Brown a "pussycat".

• We're aware that he's sweating a lot -- low potassium here in Hawaii. He's got to eat more bananas.
  • On Luke Walton injuring himself in practice during the training camp in 2007.

• All you guys can do is play video games and watch porn movies.
  • To his squad during a slump in the 2006-2007 season.

• I tell the kids that they're not going to be adults until they're twenty-eight, because they're playing a boys' game. It delays their maturation.
• There are no Zen masters, there’s only Zen. "Zen master" is a contradiction in terms. You don’t master Zen.
  • Esquire magazine, February 2008.

On Kobe Bryant

• Determined, dedicated, disciplined. I think he's ready to play. For Kobe, it's about re-establishing his dominance in the game

• To me, right there, enough said - Kobe Bryant (third team), not acceptable
  • On Kobe making the All-NBA Third team in 2005.

Random

• If you meet the Buddha in the lane, feed him the ball.

• Well, it smells better in Oklahoma, I have to say that. I miss that mildew smell from New Orleans that permeates the air, and the revelry that goes along with being in New Orleans is certainly missing in Oklahoma. I feel blessed, there's no doubt about it, that we're here.
  • On playing the Hornets in New Orleans versus Oklahoma City.

• We call this a 'Brokeback Mountain game' because there is so much penetration and kickouts.
  • When questioned if the Spurs' ability to get to the hole led to open three pointers.