Quotes from Phil Jackson

The winter's a little bit daunting in Montana.

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

The NBA has made a real issue about really making these superstars the premium that everybody wants to go to. That's their calling card and their marketing tool. But the coaches at the other end of the sphere are trying to make everybody on the team, even nine, 10, 11, 12, just as important, and have a real role that's meaningful.

My accountant tells me I can't be a California resident anymore. I spend too much of my time in New York.

A coach's main job is to reawaken a spirit in which the players can blend together effortlessly.

Love is the force that ignites the spirit and binds teams together.

You have to be able to psychologically help your players, support-wise, be in touch with them, so I think managing people is very important.

I replaced three joints in my hips and one in my knee. I'm hoping that other knee doesn't have to be done. It's one of the toughest things to overcome.

Good teams become great ones when the members trust each other enough to surrender the Me for the We.

I don't believe in curfews, because you can't treat men like they were boys without forfeiting a certain level of trust.

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

An acrobatic dunk will make it onto Sports Center. A simple, unspectacular bounce pass in the rhythm of the offense will not. System basketball has been replaced by players who want to be the system.

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

There's a lot of chatter in basketball and, rightfully, you want players to be talking to each other... But sometimes in practice, it gets too verbose... so I tried to take things out of the ordinary and make them special so they'd understand the difference.

When I was young, I was dedicated to become a minister - my brothers and I were formally brought in front of the congregation in a dedication ceremony, where we were dedicated to the future service of God.

I think the most important thing about coaching is that you have to have a sense of confidence about what you're doing. You have to be a salesman, and you have to get your players, particularly your leaders, to believe in what you're trying to accomplish on the basketball floor.

My father was the superintendent of the churches in the state of Montana. He was content in his beliefs. He befit the term 'true Christian.' He would turn the other cheek. He was truly a man of peace.

I gave it my body and mind, but I have kept my soul.

My mother's families were Mennonites or Anabaptists that came to Minnesota from Russia. They were actually moving around Europe doing diking and lowland reclamation work, and they moved into Minnesota.

If you meet the Buddha in the lane, feed him the ball.

The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team.

Make your work your play and your play your work.

I think people forgot that there are still ways you can get the ball inside rather than just standing there and throwing the ball in. You have to have a system that makes all things work.

As much as we pump iron and we run to build our strength up, we need to build our mental strength up... so we can focus... so we can be in concert with one another.