Sports Nicknames - Zen Master

Phil Jackson is the most successful coach the NBA has ever had.



During his playing days, Phil Jackson represented the New York Knicks in the late 1960s and 1970s. He was a fan favourite and the top substitute player on the team that won two championships.

His glory days came once he took over the Chicago Bulls as a coach in 1987 and won six NBA titles with a team that featured Michael Jordan, Scottie Pipen, Dennis Rodman and Toni Kukoc. In 1999, Phil moved to Los Angeles to coach the Lakers team and won five more titles with Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant. Between 1989 and 2010 Phil Jackson won 11 NBA rings, to add to his 2 rings he won as a player.

Nicknamed the "Zen Master" because of his coaching techniques, which involved meditation and focus on the state of the mind. Phil developed very personal relationships with all his players and was able to build teams that were mentally strong and connected.

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