#132 Coach Phil Jackson (2), working with his coaching staff: “We had an exchange that was very genuine."

Sep 29, 2023

Coach Phil Jackson reflects on building trust and meaningful roles within his coaching staff at the Chicago Bulls facility. They discussed game strategies, video analysis, and the evolution of basketball. The importance of unity, embracing disagreement, and letting go was emphasized. Also explored were defense strategies, valuing opponents, and building trust within a coaching staff.

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Introduction

00:00 • 5min

A Discussion about the Bulls' Small Practice Space and Game Strategies

05:14 • 4min

The Evolution of Basketball Strategies

09:23 • 22min

Building Trust and Understanding within a Coaching Staff

31:34 • 12min

Defense, Flow, and Valuing Your Opponent

43:31 • 5min

Working with a Coaching Staff and Benching the Ego

48:38 • 4min

The distribution of leadership. Getting a strong staff, getting to know each other. Trusting each other and giving everyone meaningful roles.

The small room at the Chicago Bulls facility where Coach Jackson developed bonds with Coaches Bach and Winter. Three desks, two doors. Monitors.
Scouting upcoming teams. Making videos with the video machine.
Doug Collins (head coach) would be working out and rehabbing his knee. Other coaches would be in the room for three hours in the morning and more hours in the afternoon.
Conferring with each other, sharing knowledge. Conversations together about the game, its history and evolution.
Tex believed the players needed to develop deep knowledge of the game.
Exchanging “tricks of the trade” with each other (like letting air out of the balls to fit playing style).
Johnny’s zone trap. “We’d go through the mechanics of the game."
Johnny Bach named defensive coordinator, Tex Winter offensive coordinator.
“The exchange of ideas was a lot of fun.”
Tex Winter, Coach Jackson, and the evolution of the Triangle offense.
Coach Jackson asking Coach Gardner about how the Triangle played a role in their success.
"All these stories just geminated" in that room.
“I was curious and would listen to these guys who had been watching the game evolve since they were kids."
Doing videos with Johnny.
“We had an exchange that was very genuine.”
What we organized as a system was “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.”
Teaching players the skills that would operate in the system. Drills and skills that fit into the system. “Everything fit into the system.”
Defensive drills in the system.
Knowing each other so well that trust was present.
How his ran a time-out. “Going to your safe spot on the bench.” Assistants go to huddle. Then everyone stands and Coach Jackson addresses them. “Assistant coaches get to manifest their knowledge of the game."
Allowing for and valuing disagreement. But then going forward with one voice.
Why it’s dangerous when trying one-off copying of what others do instead of staying with your own set of rules.
Our basic principle on offense was “go away from pressure.”
“Be in the flow.”
Using video tape to imprint ideas. (e.g., The way of the peaceful warrior). How to value your opponent to bring out your best self. Lakota perspective. “We’re lucky to have the opponent that’s creating more thoughtful play out of what we’re trying to do. And we don’t have to do it through resistance or overpowering or retaliation. We can do it in another way."
Letting go. Scottie suggesting Ron Harper should guard Hardaway instead of Jordan. “That suggestion was perfect…That was a player stepping in…They know each other well.”