Phil Jackson Never Wanted To Coach The New York Knicks
HBO Real Sports is promoting Tuesday’s upcoming episode with a rare interview with legendary NBA coach Phil Jackson at his home in Montana. The highlight of the interview is Jackson talking about — never wanting and never being asked — to coach the New York Knicks and ripping into Knicks stars Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire.
CBSSports.com has a partial transcript of the juicy parts of his interview with Andrea Kremer that was sent out to the press.
PHIL JACKSON: They never called. And I kinda appreciate that. Because if they called, it would open the door and they didn’t wanna open the door.
ANDREA KREMER They didn’t wanna open the door or you didn’t wanna open the door?
PHIL JACKSON: Well, I mean, I wasn’t gonna take the job, that’s for sure. But…
ANDREA KREMER: You wouldn’t have taken the Knick job?
PHIL JACKSON: No. I wouldn’t take…
ANDREA KREMER: Why? This is — the ties to this job go back as far as your whole career.
PHIL JACKSON: Yeah, it’s great. It’s great.
ANDREA KREMER: And you’ve always said New York is special to you.
PHIL JACKSON: New York is special.
ANDREA KREMER: Why do you dismiss it then, possibility, even?
PHIL JACKSON: Well, it just — there’s just too much work that has to be done with that team. You know? It’s just not quite — it’s clumsy. It’s a little bit of a clumsy team. It’s not, you know. —
ANDREA KREMER: What’s “clumsy” mean?
PHIL JACKSON: Well, they don’t fit together well. (Amare) Stoudemire doesn’t fit together well with Carmelo (Anthony). Stoudemire’s really good player. But he’s gotta play in a certain system and a way. Carmelo has to be a better passer. And the ball can’t stop every time it hits his hands. They need to have someone come in that can kinda blend that group together.
ANDREA KREMER: But wouldn’t you have been the perfect person to come in and blend all that talent together? You sort of have a good history of that.
PHIL JACKSON Yeah. Well, it didn’t happen.
Who can blame Jackson at this point in his career? Why go to a team and an organization that has done so many things wrong, for so long. At this point he will go down as the greatest coach in NBA history, why risk his legacy if the conditions are not optimal? Also, if things don’t go well in Miami during the 2012 Finals, they may be looking for a new coach
