Lakers to unveil Phil Jackson statue next year
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AP:
The Los Angeles Lakers will unveil a statue of former coach Phil Jackson outside their downtown arena next year.
The franchise announced yesterday that it will honour Jackson, who led the Lakers to five NBA championships and seven Finals appearances across two stints spanning 11 seasons as head coach.
The statue will be unveiled on April 9 before the Lakers’ home game against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
After his celebrated tenure with the Chicago Bulls, whom he guided to six championships during the Michael Jordan era, Jackson joined the Lakers in 1999 and immediately ushered in another period of sustained success for the storied franchise.
His first three teams in Los Angeles won NBA titles behind the dominant partnership of Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal. The Lakers added two more championships in 2009 and 2010, led by Bryant and Pau Gasol. Jackson’s Lakers also reached the NBA Finals in 2004 and 2008.
Jackson set the franchise record for coaching victories with 610 and guided the Lakers to the playoffs in every season of his tenure, which ended in 2011.
“Phil Jackson defines championship basketball for a reason,” Lakers governor Jeanie Buss said in a statement.
“His masterful approach to coaching brought out the best in some of the greatest athletes to ever play the game. After he accepted my dad’s invitation to join the Lakers, Phil’s unmatched creativity and commitment to excellence restored our championship legacy, bringing five titles and setting a standard of excellence for generations to come. It is a great joy to be able to mark that achievement with the statue he so richly deserves.”
Jackson will become the ninth person associated with the Lakers to be honoured with a statue in Star Plaza outside the arena. He joins Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Jerry West, Elgin Baylor, Bryant, O’Neal, broadcaster Chick Hearn and former coach Pat Riley, whose statue was unveiled earlier this year.
Jackson’s 11 championships as a head coach remain the most in NBA history. The North Dakota native and former New York Knicks forward is also a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.