Phil Jackson: Kobe Bryant ‘was always sensitive to criticism’

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Phil Jackson once labeled Kobe Bryant “uncoachable,” but years after making the remark, he’s clearing up what he meant by it.

The latest edition of Today’s Fastbreak’s Phil Jackson Chronicles focuses on Jackson and Bryant, and the evolution of their sometimes difficult relationship. In it, he disputes that he ever said Bryant was “uncoachable.”

“Shaq was traded, I didn’t re-sign with the Lakers and I wrote a book,” Jackson said of the end of his first tenure with the Lakers. “I never really said that Kobe was ‘uncoachable.’ What I did write was that I couldn’t coach him anymore. In any case, Kobe was always sensitive to criticism, so he was hurt by the book.”

Bryant was driven by criticism and doubters, so it’s no surprise he didn’t like Jackson’s original comments. It sounds like the coach didn’t mean them as brutally as many people took them, though.

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Phil Jackson Considered Trading Kobe Bryant for Grant Hill

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Phil Jackson took a trip down memory lane, looking back at the 11 years he spent as Kobe Bryant’s head coach.

The Zen Master says that Kobe demanded a trade during their first season together, and Jackson claims that he very briefly toyed with the idea of taking the Detroit Pistons up on their offer for Grant Hill.

Phil Jackson briefly entertained idea of trading Kobe to #Pistons for Grant Hill. What if it happened? #Lakers https://t.co/5tOpgdOYPu

— Today"s Fastbreak (@TodaysFastbreak) September 2, 2016

Jackson and Bryant would continue to butt heads, but formed a legendary partnership that netted them five NBA championships.

Per Today’s Fastbreak:

“Kobe showed up at the press conference that introduced me as the new Lakers coach. He came up to my hotel room afterwards and we had our first face-to-face connection. He said he had read all about my championships with the Bulls and had studied several game tapes, so he was very excited. Kobe was 20 years old and had already played three NBA seasons.[…] “The Summer League was in Los Angeles that year and we sat together to watch the games that the Lakers had. Jim Cleamons was one of my assistant coaches in Chicago and would also be on my staff with the Lakers. So it was JC who coached the team of free-agent hopefuls and draft choices. As I explained the unfolding of the elementary triangle offense that JC had installed, as well as more of the advanced principles, Kobe was still excited. It was clear to me that he not only was willing to learn, but that he really wanted to learn.

 

“Then he fell and broke his wrist in our first exhibition game. For several weeks, Kobe had to be sidelined and watch guys like (Shaquille O’Neal), Glen Rice, Ron Harper, Rick Fox, Derek Fisher, A.C. Green, Brian Shaw and Robert Horry pile up a 10-1 record. Shaq had really bought into the triangle and was well established at the heart of our offense. […] When Kobe was healed and ready to return, I was a bit reluctant to make a major alteration in our winning combination. So I suggested that Kobe come off the bench. ‘I don’t see myself not starting,’ was his response. ‘I don’t want to be known as a bench player.’ Here was a 20-year-old already concerned about his legacy. So we had a little pushback, an indication of what might lie ahead.

 

“A couple of weeks later, we’re still winning and Shaq is completely motivated. But Kobe was only averaging about 19 points per game. So Kobe called Jerry West and wanted to know how Jerry and Elgin Baylor both averaged 30 points. Kobe also said that he wanted to be traded. Of course, Jerry told me about the conversation. And, for a few minutes I thought about taking the Pistons up on an offer they made to trade Kobe for Grant Hill. Make that a few seconds. […] The thing was that Kobe already saw himself as being one of the greatest players in the history of the NBA. I thought that, in time, he would indeed reach that goal.”

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Phil Jackson: Biggest Mistake Was Not Trading for Jae Crowder

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Knicks team president Phil Jackson says his biggest mistake so far in New York’s front-office, was leaving Jae Crowder on the table in the multi-player trade that sent Tyson Chandler to Dallas.

The Zen Master thought Crowder would be buried on the bench, so he opted for a second-round draft pick instead.

New #ThePhilJacksonChronicles – Phil wraps up year + admits biggest mistake as #Knicks prez https://t.co/Wo09MwyMum pic.twitter.com/1gVBVuc99e

— Today"s Fastbreak (@TodaysFastbreak) August 26, 2016

Jackson doesn’t regret hiring Derek Fisher (who was canned last season.)

Per the Today’s Fastbreak:

“I don’t consider hiring Fish a mistake because he worked hard and got the guys to stay as positive as possible while the losses piled up. I think the biggest mistake I made was actually this…One of the first deals I engineered when I came back to New York was to trade Tyson Chandler and Raymond Felton to Dallas for Shane Larkin, Jose Calderon, Wayne Ellington, Samuel Dalembert, plus a second-round pick that the Mavs owed to the Celtics. In talking with Boston, I was given the option of taking that pick or else taking Jae Crowder. I liked Crowder but I thought he wouldn’t get much of a chance to play behind Carmelo, so I took the pick which turned out to be Cleanthony Early. While Cleanthony has missed lots of time in the past two seasons with us, he still has the potential to be a valuable player. Even so, I should have taken Crowder.

 

“Anyway, for all of us, making mistakes are part of the learning process.

 

“In any case, we won 15 more games this season than we did last season, something that’s not easy to do in the NBA. I’d be more than happy if we could make the same jump next season.”

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