Phil Jackson

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

— Phil Jackson

“The unconscious mind is a terrific solver of complex problems when the conscious mind is busy elsewhere or, perhaps better yet, not…

— Phil Jackson

Basketball is a sport that involves the subtle interweaving of players at full speed to the point where they are thinking and…

— Phil Jackson

In basketball - as in life - true joy comes from being fully present in each and every moment, not just when…

— Phil Jackson

“My confidence grew out of knowing that when the spirit was right and the players were attuned to one another, the game…

— Phil Jackson

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

— Phil Jackson

You can't force your will on people. If you want them to act differently, you need to inspire them to change themselves

— Phil Jackson

Everybody has an opportunity to play a role, a playmaking role, so it makes it harder to coach. It takes a little…

— Phil Jackson

Despite their tremendous talent, (NBA players) are still, by and large, young adults, seeking validation from an authority figure, and there is…

— Phil Jackson

“Made people laugh. Dennis had a way of making everybody lighten up when things were tense. How could you get down on…

— Phil Jackson

The real value in everything you do is in the details. I just like that quote. A very similar way to say…

— Phil Jackson

When I was young, I was dedicated to become a minister - my brothers and I were formally brought in front of…

— Phil Jackson

He practiced against Kobe all of last year, so obviously it was sweet revenge for him. We deserved that. We didn't know…

— 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…

— Phil Jackson

What moves me is watching young men bond together and tap into the magic that arises when they focus with their whole…

— 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,…

— Phil Jackson

For us tall people, the whole key is that your hips and your knees should form a right angle when you sit…

— Phil Jackson

Tomorrow gives a beck'ning hand-- I turn my face away; I'll not invite her to my home-- I only love Today.

— Phil Jackson

There's a term, agape, you hear used a lot with charismatic religious groups, that it's this more pure love of caring, of…

— 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…

— 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…

— Phil Jackson

I think people forgot that there are still ways you can get the ball inside rather than just standing there and throwing…

— Phil Jackson

Coaching is about, "How do I get people to play at their peak level?" It is a spiritual quest. And if it's…

— Phil Jackson

My first act after being named head coach of the Bulls was to formulate a vision for the team. I had to…

— Phil Jackson

“NBA is not exactly the friendliest environment for teaching selflessness. Even though the game itself is a five-person sport, the culture surrounding…

— Phil Jackson

In basketball - as in life - true joy comes from being fully present in each and every moment, not just when…

— Phil Jackson

The best thing that I think happened to me was I got the opportunity to have really good players and we were…

— Phil Jackson

I care about systematically playing basketball. If the spacing isn't right, if guys are standing on top of each other, if there…

— 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,…

— Phil Jackson

Once you've done the mental work, there comes a point you have to throw yourself into the action and put your heart…

— Phil Jackson