"Wanted to establish this is their family as well" - Jeanie Buss reveals Phil Jackson's approach to building a championship team in the NBA
LA Lakers governor Jeanie Buss shared details about Phil Jackson's approach on how to build a championship team in the NBA. Jackson won five titles with the Lakers and was in a relationship with Buss for many years, so she knows how he created a dynasty.
In a recent appearance on "NBA DNA" with ESPN's Hannah Storm, Buss was asked about Jackson's train of thought in championship building. It was all about letting the players know that they are a family to help them play for one another.
"I dated Phil for 15 years, so when I was his significant other, I learned how to look at the team through the lens of a coach. I remember getting in a fight with him because he was bringing the team in on Thanksgiving to practice," Buss said.
The Lakers governor added:
"I'm like, 'Why are you doing this? Give them a day off.' He's like, 'Settle down. Jeanie, what I'm trying to show them by having them practice on Thanksgiving (is) I wanted to establish that this is their family as well.' And you have to be with your family on a holiday and that's powerful. When a coach can harness that and create that family dynamic, then you know you have something really special."
It worked really well for the LA Lakers under Phil Jackson's coaching, winning three straight NBA championships from 2000 to 2002. Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant didn't see eye-to-eye at times, but they were able to win together.
Jackson did it again in 2009 and 2010 when Bryant and Pau Gasol brought glory to the Lakers again with back-to-back championships. In addition to five rings, the Lakers went to a total of seven NBA Finals under "The Zen Master."
Jeanie Buss was once engaged to Phil Jackson
As mentioned by Jeanie Buss, she was in a relationship with Phil Jackson for around 15 years. The couple started dating in December 1999 when Jackson was in his first year as the head coach of the LA Lakers. They remained together when he resigned before the start of the 2004-05 NBA season.
Jackson returned a year later to take charge of the Lakers once again and his second sting lasted until 2011. He got engaged to Buss in 2013 before announcing their breakup in 2016.
Despite the ending of their relationship, Buss still considered Jackson an important part of the Lakers family. She went for him to consult about her team, including during their 2022 search for a head coach.
Now, Buss has been married to comedian Jay Mohr since September 2023 but has been dating since 2017.