Bulls totems: I had this group of portraits done by Chicago artist Tim Anderson after we won our first three-peat. It includes everyone who played on all three teams during that run, plus yours truly. (From top) Jordan, Bill Cartwright, Pippen, Grant, Paxson, B. J. Armstrong, Scott Williams, Stacey King, and Will Perdue.
These portraits, also done by Anderson, feature the players on all three teams of the second three-peat run. (From top) Jordan, Pippen, Rodman, Harper, Luc Longley, Kukoc, Steve Kerr, Bill Wennington, Jud Buechler, and Randy Brown.
Three’s the dream: With Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe after winning the Lakers’ third consecutive title in 2002 against the Nets in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
The short goodbye: I invited (from left) Charley, Ben, Brooke, and Chelsea to this press conference after the 2004 finals because I thought it was going to be my last as the Lakers’ coach. To my surprise, a year later I was back.
Passing fancy: Kobe dishes off to a surprised Shaq during game 1 of the 2001 championship finals against the Philadelphia 76ers in L.A.
Top chef: Preparing Christmas dinner with Brooke at my home in Playa del Rey, Calif.
My fiancee: Jeanie Buss and me at Chelsea’s wedding in Montana in 2007.
Group hug: The players surround Robert Horry (center) after he hit one of his “magic” three-pointers to win game 4 of the Western Conference finals against the Sacramento Kings in LA.
Pregame prep: Showing Pau Gasol and Adam Morrison a defensive assignment before game 4 of the Western Conference finals at Denver’s Pepsi Center in 2009.
The LA brain trust: In my custom-designed chair with (in front row, from left) Brian Shaw, Kurt Rambis, Frank Hamblen, and Gary Vitti. Back row: Rasheed Hazzard (left), Dr. Steve Lombardo, Chip Schaefer, and Cleamons.
A “knowing” moment: Kobe and I embrace after winning the 2009 NBA title in Orlando.
The X factor: After the 2009 win in Orlando, my kids gave me this hat to commemorate my record-breaking tenth NBA title.
Sacred circle: Giving last-minute notes to the team before game 7 of the 2010 finals in LA. (From left) Andrew Bynum, Lamar Odom, Pau, Ron Artest, Derek Fisher, Shannon, Sasha, Jordan, and Josh Powell
Hard line: Pau, Kobe, Fish, and Lamar get ready to stop another Celtics drive in game 7 of the finals.
Tears of joy: Derek Fisher breaks down in the locker room after his inspiring performance in game 3 of the 2010 championship finals in Boston.
Happy ending: The fans shower Kobe with love after the 2010 win in the Staples Center.
“It’s over!” Walking to the locker room with Charley (left), Brooke, and Chelsea after the longest half I’ve ever had to sit through finally ended, in game 4 of the 2011 Western Conference semi-finals in Dallas.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The work on this book began during the winter of 2011–12 in the living room of Phil’s house in Playa del Rey, California, a sleepy beach town. The room, a long floor-through overlooking the Pacific, is filled with mementoes: an Edward Curtis photo of a Kutenai brave gathering rushes in a canoe on Flathead Lake, a totemlike painting of the Bulls’ second three-peat team, a giant replica of the Lakers’ 2010 championship ring. Outside the full-length windows, Olympic hopefuls could be seen practicing volleyball on the beach, while a parade of Angelenos in brightly colored exercise wear streamed by on inline skates, bicycles, razor scooters, and other earth friendly vehicles.
Every now and then, Phil would stop expounding on the wonders of the triangle offense for a moment and gaze dreamily at the ocean. “Look,” he’d say, pointing to a fishing boat heading out to sea or a small pod of dolphins frolicking in the waves near shore. We’d sit in silence and watch for a while until Phil decided it was time to get back to unraveling the mysteries of the Blind Pig or some other arcane aspect of the Jacksonian game.
Tucked away in the rear of the room is a small meditation space enclosed by Japanese-style paper screens, where Phil sits zazen most mornings. On one wall hangs a beautiful calligraphic drawing of enso, the Zen symbol of oneness, with these lines from Tozan Ryokai, a ninth-century Buddhist monk:
Do not try to see the objective world.
You which is given an object to see is quite different from you yourself.
I am going my own way and I meet myself which includes everything I meet.
I am not something I can see (as an object).
When you understand self which includes everything,
You have your true way.
This is the essence of what we’ve been trying to convey in this book: that the path of transformation is to see yourself as something beyond the narrow confines of your small ego—something that “includes everything.”
Basketball isn’t a one-person game, even though the media lords sometimes portray it that way. Nor is it a five-person game, for that matter. It’s an intricate dance that includes everything happening at any given moment—the tap of the ball against the rim, the murmur of the crowd, the glint of anger in your opponent’s eyes, the chatter of your own monkey mind.
The same is true with writing. Creating a book of this kind goes far beyond the solitary work of two guys banging away at their laptops. Fortunately we’ve been blessed throughout this project with an extraordinary team of men and women who have contributed their insights, creative energy, and hard work to make this book come to life.
First, we would like to thank our agent, Jennifer Rudolph Walsh at William Morris Entertainment for helping give birth to this book and nurturing it along the way. Big thanks also to agent extraordinaire Todd Musburger for his perseverance, integrity, and gift for putting all the pieces together.
We owe a great debt to our publisher and editor, Scott Moyers, for holding the vision of Eleven Rings from the start and making that vision real. Kudos, as well, to Scott’s assistant, Mally Anderson, and the rest of the editorial team at The Penguin Press for their Jordan-like grace under pressure.
We’d especially like to thank the players, coaches, journalists, and others who took the time to share with us their personal reflections about Phil and the events chronicled in these pages. In particular, we’re grateful to Senator Bill Bradley and Mike Riordan for their insights re the Knicks; Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, John Paxson, Steve Kerr, and Johnny Bach re the Bulls; and Kobe Bryant, Derek Fisher, Rick Fox, Pau Gasol, Luke Walton, Frank Hamblen, Brian Shaw, and Kurt Rambis re the Lakers. Thanks also to Bill Fitch, Chip Schaefer, Wally Blase, George Mumford, Brooke Jackson, and Joe Jackson for their invaluable contributions.
We’re especially indebted to writers Sam Smith and Mark Heisler for their guidance and in-depth knowledge of the NBA. Chicago Sun-Times columnist Rick Telander was also a great help, as were reporters Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times and Kevin Ding of the Orange County Register.
A tip of the hat to Lakers PR wizard John Black and his team for parting the waters as only he knows how. We’re also much obliged to Tim Hallam and his crew at the Bulls.
Special thanks to Phil’s collaborators on previous books, authors Charley Rosen (Maverick and More Than a Game) and Michael Arkush (The Last Season), and photographers George Kalinsky (Take It All!) and Andrew D. Bernstein (Journey to the Ring). We’ve also benefited from the perspectives of other authors in these works: Bill Bradley’s Life on the Run, Phil Berger’s Miracle on 33rd Street, Dennis D’Agostino’s Garden Glory, Red Holzman and Harvey Frommer’s Red on Red, Roland Lazenby’s Mindgames and The Show, David Halberstam’s Playing for Keeps, Sam Smith’s The Jordan Rules, Rick Telander’s In the Year of the Bull, Elizabeth Kaye’s Ain’t No Tomorrow, and Mark Heisler’s Madmen’s Ball.
In addition, we’d like to thank several journalists who’ve covered Phil and his teams throughout his career for their insights, especially Frank Deford, Jack McCallum, and Phil Taylor (Sports Illustrated); Tim Kawakami, Tim Brown, Bill Plaschke, T. J. Simers, and Broderick Turner (Los Ange
les Times); Melissa Isaacson, Terry Armour, Skip Myslenski, Bernie Lincicome, and Bob Verdi (Chicago Tribune); Lacy J. Banks, John Jackson, and Jay Mariotti (Chicago Sun-Times); Tim Sullivan and Mark Ziegler (San Diego Union-Tribune); Howard Beck and Mike Wise (New York Times); Mike Lupica (New York Newsday); J. A. Adande, Ramona Shelburne, and Marc Stein (ESPN); and Michael Wilbon (Washington Post).
Researchers Sue O’Brian and Lyn Garrity did an exceptional job of making sure we got our facts straight. Deep bows to Kathleen Clark for creating the wonderful picture gallery, and to Brian Musburger and Liz Calamari for their tireless effort promoting the book. Thanks also to Chelsea Jackson, Clay McLachlan, John M. Delehanty, Jessica Catlow, Rebekah Berger, Amanda Romeo, Gary Mailman, Amy Carollo, Caitlin Moore, Kathleen Nishimoto, Gayle Waller, and Chrissie Zartman, for assistance beyond the call of duty.
Most of all, we are humbled by the love and support of the book’s biggest champions, Barbara Graham and Jeanie Buss.
From the beginning Barbara has poured her heart and soul into this project and lifted the book with her masterful editing and creative vision.
And if it weren’t for Jeanie, this book might never have been born. She is the reason Phil came back to the Lakers for his second run. We have Jeanie to thank, along with the late Dr. Jerry Buss, for giving Phil the chance to win his last two rings.
Phil Jackson and Hugh Delehanty
February 2013
INDEX
The page numbers in this index refer to the printed version of this book. To find the corresponding locations in the text of this digital version, please use the “search” function on your e-reader. Note that not all terms may be searchable.
Abdul-Jabbar, Kareem, 54, 90, 108, 214, 292
Adelman, Rick, 305
Afghanistan, 4
Aguirre, Mark, 107
Ainge, Danny, 118, 130
Ain’t No Tomorrow (Kaye), 242
Albany Patroons, 64–65
Albert, Marv, 30
Albert, Steve, 39, 62
Allen, Ray, 298, 319, 321
American Indian Movement, 80
Anderson, Dave, 128
Anderson, Nick, 146, 147, 164
anger management, 268–70
Anthony, Carmelo, 306
Anthony, Greg, 223
Ariza, Trevor, 293, 297, 306, 312, 325
Armstrong, B.J., 93, 121
during 1994–95 season, 144
in 1991–92 season, 116
in 1992–93 season, 129
in 1994–95 season, 147
in 1997–98 season, 193
in 1995 expansion draft, 150, 151
on Bulls’ 1991–92 winning record, 115
interest in meditation, 99
as part of All-Star 1993–94 team, 139
Pistons and, 106
Arnold, Matthew, 213
Artest, Ron
in 2008–09 season, 305
in 2009–10 season, 312, 317, 318–19, 320, 321
in 2010–11 season, 324, 329, 331, 334
background of, 313–14
desire to be part of Lakers, 300
unpredictability of, 313, 315
Atlanta Hawks, 33
Auerbach, Red, 55–56, 261, 309
“automatics,” 103–4
Bach, Johnny, 79, 129
on 1994 play-offs game, 142
as Bulls’ assistant coach, 66, 87, 112, 143
as Charlotte Hornets’ assistant coach, 143
coaching style of, 64, 65–66
on Collins, 62–63
on Grant, 104
Bad as I Wanna Be (Rodman), 170
Barea, Jose Juan, 327–28, 329, 331
Barkley, Charles, 104, 129
Barnes, Matt, 323
Barnett, Dick, 26, 29, 34, 35, 58
Barrie, J. M., 322
Barry, Sam, 14, 68
basketball and music, 66–67
basketball players. See players
Battier, Shane, 305
Baylor, Elgin, 38
Bellamy, Walt, 29, 33–34
bench players, vital role of, 37–38
Bernstein, Andy, 330
Bertka, Bill, 209
Bes, Travis, 226
Bibby, Mike, 258, 259
Billups, Chauncey, 275, 306
Bird, Larry
Johnson’s rivalry with, 5, 64
McHale and, 239
as Pacers’ coach, 193, 194, 226, 228
personality of, 83
Black Elk, 85
Blake, Steve, 323, 328
Blase, Wally, 174–76
Blind Pig, 103–4
Block, John, 26
Blount, Corie, 144, 145
Bonaparte, Napoléon, 102
Boorstein, Sylvia, 270
Boston Celtics, 131
in 1972–73 season, 55–56
in 1973–74 season, 57–58
in 2007–08 season, 5–6, 299–300, 310
in 2008–09 season, 9
in 2009–10 season, 310, 312, 319–21
Lakers’ rivalry with, 310–12
Bowman, Nate, 36
Bradley, Bill, 100
Cazzie’s competition with, 34, 35, 36
at Knick’s training camp, 29
Pine Ridge Indian Reservation basketball clinics and, 80
political career of, 127, 203
retirement from Knicks, 59
role in Knicks, 26, 34, 35, 55, 58
Brand, Elton, 314
Bresnahan, Mike, 304, 321
Brooklyn Queens Express, 314
Brooks, Aaron, 305
Brown, Brené, 292
Brown, Hubie, 59–60
Brown, Kwame, 282, 287, 288, 296, 297
Brown, Larry, 145, 275
Brown, Randy, 160
Brown, Tim, 245, 273
Bruckheimer, Jerry, 176
Bryan, Emmett, 30
Bryant, Joe “Jellybean,” 215
Bryant, Kobe
in 1999–2000 season, 5, 208, 214–19, 223, 224, 226, 227, 228, 229
in 2000–01 season, 232–37, 239–44, 246–48
in 2001–02 season, 250, 254–55, 257–61
in 2003–04 season, 268, 270–71, 272, 273–76, 277
in 2004–05 season, 278, 279–80
in 2005–06 season, 282, 283–84, 286, 287
in 2006–07 season, 288
in 2007–08 season, 292–93, 295, 297–98, 299, 300
in 2008–09 season, 303–4, 305, 306–9
in 2009–10 season, 315–16, 317, 318, 319, 320–21
in 2010–11 season, 323–25, 328, 334
background of, 215–16, 236
competitive drive of, 216, 233–34
criticism of Buss, 289–90
D’Antoni’s criticism of, 288
differences between Jordan and, 283–86
feud between Shaq and, 233, 235, 236, 237, 239–40, 266–67
Fisher’s bond with, 7
as a free agent, 265–67
injuries of, 214, 227, 242, 243, 323–25
Jackson’s relationship with, 171, 243, 268, 277, 279, 291, 316–17
leadership role in Lakers, 214, 218–19, 303, 304
marriage of, 254
parents’ estrangement with, 254
as a selfish player, 8–9, 216–17, 218, 233, 235, 241
sexual assault accusation against, 263–65, 277
stress and, 266
triangle offense system and, 69
Bryant, Vanessa, 254, 264
Bucher, Ric, 237
Bucks, 58
Buddha, 54, 219, 262
Buddh
ism
concept of self, 211
mindfulness meditation and, 17–18
Noble Eightfold Path and, 219–21
Suzuki on, 168
teachings on compassion, 53–54
view of “enemy’s gift,” 185
See also Zen Buddhism
Buechler, Jud
in 1995–96 season, 160
in 1996–97 season, 172, 178, 181
in 1997–98 season, 188, 195
Bulls. See Chicago Bulls
Burrell, Scott, 157
Buss, Jeanie, 207–8, 264, 271, 278, 279, 280
Buss, Jerry, 204–5
on 1999–00 championship win, 229
2003–04 season and, 265
contract negotiations with Jackson, 276–77, 280, 322–23
Kobe and, 270–71, 273, 276–77, 289–90, 291
obsession with the Celtics, 299
Shaq and, 266, 276–77
Buss, Jim, 280–81, 291
Butcher, Jim, 1
Butler, Caron, 278
Bynum, Andrew
in 2005–06 season, 280–81
in 2006–07 season, 288
in 2007–08 season, 292–93, 296
in 2008–09 season, 305, 306
in 2009–10 season, 312, 317, 318
in 2010–11 season, 323, 328, 331–32, 334
injuries of, 296, 312, 317
Byrne, David, 66
Caffey, Jason, 160, 193
Campbell, Joseph, 41
Caracter, Derrick, 326
Carlesimo, P. J., 227
Carlisle, Rick, 226
Carter, Vince, 232–33
Cartwright, Bill
in 1990–91 season, 107
in 1992–93 season, 122, 128
in 1993–94 season, 139, 141
on Bulls’ desire to win, 129
Jordan’s concerns about, 74–75, 82