Championship Phil-Osophy: Will Phil Jackon’s Legacy Be Genius or Fraud?

Let me start by saying this. I'm a fan of Phil Jackson, I believe in the coach and the man who has led two different teams to nine NBA championships combined. He was not only a great player in his own right during his playing days, but he's also one of the best basketball coaches of all time.

That being said, the argument over Phil Jackson's legacy will carry on for a long time to come. There are those that see him as nothing but a fraud because he inherited the best players in the game.

With the Chicago Bulls there was the best player this game has arguably ever seen. Michael Jordan carried the Chicago Bulls to six NBA titles alongside guys like Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman, John Paxton, and a host of others.

After his Jackson's tenure there was over, he would take a hiatus before resurfacing as the head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers. It was a team already loaded with talent with young superstars in Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal alongside veterans like Ron Harper and Derek Fisher.

Phil Jackson has often been called the "Zen Master," bringing in the triangle offense and a zen-like mentality to the locker room. He's brought a truce to the deteriorating partnership of the aforementioned Bryant and O'Neal. He was able to get both players to play together for one common goal, something a coach is supposed to do.

He was also able to bring Michael Jordan around from being a prolific scorer to one of the best all-around players in the game. He got Jordan to trust his teammates and trust that, even when he couldn't play, his teammates would pick up the slack.

So, knowing all that, why is Jackson still one of the most hated coaches in history? Why do so many people call Jackson a fraud and go as far as to say that he will leave Los Angeles after this season and resurface wherever LeBron James ends up?

I'm not going to play favorites here and just give one side to the argument. I ca...

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