Phil Jackson picks Bill Russell over Michael Jordan
Phil Jackson has said that he would consider picking Boston Celtics’ great Bill Russell instead of Michael Jordan to start on his dream team.
Bill Russell and Michael Jordan together at an awards ceremony.
“In my estimation, the guy that has to be there would be Bill Russell. He has won 11 championships as a player,” Jackson said in an interview with Time. “That’s really the idea of what excellence is, when you win championships.”
Jordon became a basketball legend under Jackson with the Chicago Bulls in the 1990s, winning six titles and five MVP awards and becoming a 14-time All-Star. He also won a college title in addition to two Olympic gold medals, including one at the 1992 Barcelona Games.
On the other hand, Russell was pivotal for the Boston Celtics dynasty in the 1950s and 1960s, winning 11 titles and a five-time Most Valuable Player and 12-time All-Star during his iconic 13-year career. Besides being the captain of the United States’ gold-medal-winning team at the 1956 Olympics, he also won two NCAA championships with San Francisco.
In his recently published book entitled: “Eleven Rings: The Soul of Success,” Jackson compared Jordan to Kobe Bryant and has sided with Jordan over Bryant, claiming he was better in leadership, defensive skills and shooting accuracy.
However, during an interview with Time magazine, Jackson was reluctant to choose a particular player and said that he would prefer to flip a coin instead.
Jordan, 50, has been often compared to LeBron James – the Miami Heat superstar. NBA trainer Tim Grover, who worked with both Jordan and Bryant, told SI.com that comparing Jordan with anyone besides Russell would be wrong.
“Michael Jordan was six-for-six in Finals, never lost a Finals, never needed a Game 7 to do that,” Grover said. “Just by saying that alone, that puts him in a category I don’t think anybody else is in, except maybe a Bill Russell. Other than that, I don’t know if you can really put [Jordan] in the same category [with anybody].