Phil Jackson Quotes

I think the most important thing about coaching is that you have to have a sense of confidence about what you're doing. You have to be a salesman, and you have to get your players, particularly your leaders, to believe in what you're trying to accomplish on the basketball floor.

- Phil Jackson

My philosophy is that you don't motivate players with speeches; you have motivated players that you draft. That's where they come in, and those are the guys that are competitive. You can not teach competitiveness.

- Phil Jackson

My father was a man who didn't consider himself learned. He was a man who liked to be a farmer. He enjoyed his dairy farm and felt the calling. So there was a dedication. I was dedicated as a child to the service of God, and so there was this continual centering of a greater purpose than your own.

- Phil Jackson

There's a lot of chatter in basketball and, rightfully, you want players to be talking to each other... But sometimes in practice, it gets too verbose... so I tried to take things out of the ordinary and make them special so they'd understand the difference.

- Phil Jackson

My father was the superintendent of the churches in the state of Montana. He was content in his beliefs. He befit the term 'true Christian.' He would turn the other cheek. He was truly a man of peace.

- Phil Jackson

Approach the game with no preset agendas and you'll probably come away surprised at your overall efforts.

- Phil Jackson

Always keep an open mind and a compassionate heart.

- Phil Jackson

For us tall people, the whole key is that your hips and your knees should form a right angle when you sit down. That's where backs and hips get to be problems for big guys.

- Phil Jackson

The NBA has made a real issue about really making these superstars the premium that everybody wants to go to. That's their calling card and their marketing tool. But the coaches at the other end of the sphere are trying to make everybody on the team, even nine, 10, 11, 12, just as important, and have a real role that's meaningful.

- Phil Jackson

My parents were, had a marriage of passion, and the passion was about their religious beliefs. They were both immigrant families that - well, my father's family came as Puritans to Massachusetts.

- Phil Jackson

The winter's a little bit daunting in Montana.

- Phil Jackson

You have to be able to psychologically help your players, support-wise, be in touch with them, so I think managing people is very important.

- Phil Jackson

As much as we pump iron and we run to build our strength up, we need to build our mental strength up... so we can focus... so we can be in concert with one another.

- Phil Jackson

When I was young, I was dedicated to become a minister - my brothers and I were formally brought in front of the congregation in a dedication ceremony, where we were dedicated to the future service of God.

- Phil Jackson

Basketball is a simple game. Your goal is penetration, get the ball close to the basket, and there are three ways to do that. Pass, dribble and offensive rebound.

- Phil Jackson

Love is the force that ignites the spirit and binds teams together.

- Phil Jackson

I think the most important thing about coaching is that you have to have a sense of confidence about what you're doing.

- Phil Jackson

I'm not going to coach again. I've done my coaching, and I think I can put that aside.

- Phil Jackson

Your problems never cease. They just change.

- Phil Jackson

If you meet the Buddha in the lane, feed him the ball.

- Phil Jackson

I think the most rewarding part of the job, and I think most coaches would say it, is practice. If you have it, a very good practice in which you have 12 guys participate, and they can really get something out of it, lose themselves in practice.

- Phil Jackson

I replaced three joints in my hips and one in my knee. I'm hoping that other knee doesn't have to be done. It's one of the toughest things to overcome.

- Phil Jackson

My mother's families were Mennonites or Anabaptists that came to Minnesota from Russia. They were actually moving around Europe doing diking and lowland reclamation work, and they moved into Minnesota.

- Phil Jackson

I think there's something about wanting to stand in the spotlight. I think the ball is a spotlight, for example, and I think they want to stand in that. I a lot of times see - LeBron is a guy that vacillates between wanting to do that and then wanting to get somebody else involved.

- Phil Jackson

I gave it my body and mind, but I have kept my soul.

- Phil Jackson

I'm a sports-watcher. I played football and baseball, coached baseball. So I watch those things.

- Phil Jackson

I played hockey in North Dakota growing up and watch a lot of that.

- Phil Jackson

Pau is one of the best big men in the game. I mean, Pau Gasol is going to be in the Hall of Fame.

- Phil Jackson

Wisdom is always an overmatch for strength.

- Phil Jackson