Basic Data:

Name: Phil Douglas Jackson
Born: Sept. 17, 1945
Height: 6-8
Nickname: the Zen Master
High School: Williston, in Williston, ND
College: North Dakota
NBA Titles as player: 1
NBA Titles as coach: 11

The NBA player:

Phil Jackson was an NBA player from 1967 to 1980. He played 10 seasons for the Knicks and 2 for the Nets.

He was selected for the All-Rookie First Team in 1967-68 and he was champion as a reserve forward with New York in 1972-73. He could have won another championship with the Knicks in the 1969-70 season but was injured and was not a part of the roster.

His numbers as a player:
Career season stats: 6.7 pts, 4.3 reb, 1.1 ast
Career playoff stats: 7.7 pts, 4.2 reb, 0.9 ast
Best season: 1974-75, 10.8 pts, 7.7 reb, 1.7 ast
Championship season: 8.1 pts, 4.3 reb, 1.2 ast

The NBA Coach:

Phil Jackson coached Chicago to six NBA titles in nine years and the Lakers to five titles in 11 seasons. With his 11 championships won he surpassed Red Auerbach record for the most all-time (nine).

He also leads the NBA in playoff victories with 229 and playoff winning percentage (.688).

It is hard to believe, but he was named Coach of the Year just once, in the 1995-96 season when his Bulls set an NBA record with 72 wins..

As part of the "NBA at 50" celebration during the '96-97 season, Phil Jackson was selected one of the Top Ten Coaches in NBA History. While it was a list without ranking, one could easily asume that he is the best ever, despite what Auerbach's defenders could say.

In 2008 he was inducted to the Basketball Hall of Fame as a coach.

NBA Titles as a Player: 1

1972-73 Knicks

NBA Titles as a Coach: 11

1990-91 Chicago Bulls
1991-92 Chicago Bulls
1992-93 Chicago Bulls
1995-96 Chicago Bulls
1996-97 Chicago Bulls
1997-98 Chicago Bulls
1999-00 Los Angeles Lakers
2000-01 Los Angeles Lakers
2001-02 Los Angeles Lakers
2008-09 Los Angeles Lakers
2009-10 Los Angeles Lakers