Sports Scope
By Thomas A. Kvamme
Putting his team first is no doubt one of the key ingredients that led former Williston High School basketball standout Phil Jackson to the top of his game.
While Jackson had lots of success, dating back to 1963 when he was a key component in leading the Coyotes to a state high school basketball championship, his playing days on the hardcourt proved most valuable. After a period of 25 years, that saw him switching roles from a player to a coach, Jackson now finds himself being placed among the elite in the game with the recent announcement of his upcoming induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2007.
Having guided the Chicago Bulls and the Los Angeles Lakers to a record nine National Basketball Association championships was more than enough to be elected in his first year of consideration for the Hall.
The enshrinement and induction will take place Sept. 6-8 in Springfield, Mo.
While this is a huge honor, Jackson turned down an invitation to travel to Springfield for the announcement as his team faced a crucial point of the season, citing a concern for positioning his team for the postseason.
On a West Coast trip, Jackson took time out from his busy schedule to connect with the Scope, allowing an opportunity to discuss his coaching career.
Jackson dialed up Williston from Seattle on Friday, as his team prepared for an evening clash with the Sonics.
During a telephone interview we had an opportunity to catch up on a few things.
The Lakers went out and posted a 112-109 win before jumping on the plane for a return to the Staples Center to come up short 115-107 against the Phoenix Suns on Easter Sunday.
On Monday the Lakers dropped a 115-111 decision at Denver, while returning home to face the Los Angeles Clippers this evening, as the regular season winds down.
The Lakers have only four regular season games remaining before jumping into the Western Conference playoffs.
The veteran coach noted his team had been struggling and been on what he termed, “A free fall.”
Hoping to put an end to that, Jackson indicated he needs to get some of his key players healthy, with a number of ankle injuries standing in the way.
With three starters out of contention, Jackson has had to run out a makeshift lineup, as he works to find a winning combination.
PASSES UP TRIP
Facing those back-to-back games it was easy for Jackson to say, “Thanks, but no thanks,” along with the fact he would have been involved in a “red eye” flight to attend the Hall of Fame announcement ceremony.
Leading up to the official announcement there had been some speculation and talk about Jackson joining the field.
That talk was backed up while in New Orleans Jackson met up with a former teammate who had some inside information and congratulated him.
REALLY SURPRISED
Jackson told us he was “really surprised” when first nominated, as he thought it took 25 years to be even considered.
As it turns out and looking back, he learned his coaching career dates back to his time when he served as an assistant coach with the New Jersey Nets.
He is only now beginning to realize what an honor this really is and the caliber of individuals he will be joining in the Hall.
One thing for certain, Jackson has taken time to credit his players and his assistant coaches for their help in getting him to this level.
While players go in as individuals, a coach has to be admitted based on team success.
IN LOOKING BACK
“I didn't think I would ever get an NBA job,” said Jackson, although he had been assured that would happen and was told to “be prepared.”
With a number of expansion teams it was a matter of ending up in the right situation.
For Jackson that proved to be in his favor.
“I landed in the best possible situation, however, I never thought I would be coaching long enough to receive this honor,” said Jackson.
STELLAR CAREER
Following his time in a Coyote uniform he first went on to star at the University of North Dakota before playing professionally for the New York Knicks and the New Jersey Nets, a career that spanned some 13 years.
In 1973, he was part of the Knicks team that won the NBA championship, while learning the ropes and taking notes as a player/coach later with the Nets.
His full-time coaching career actually began back in 1984 when his Albany Patroons won the Continental Basketball Association crown and he was tabbed as Coach of the Year.
That proved to be our first year on the beat in Williston and we recall making contact and penning a column dealing with Jackson's time on the bench as a coach.
My how time goes by.
BULLS AND LAKERS
It was landing with the Bulls that proved to be that right place at the right time Jackson talked about.
Working as an assistant coach, Jackson was positioned where he was next in line to take over the fortunes of the Bulls.
That team just happened to have a superstar by the name of Michael Jordan who was instrumental in producing championship rings.
Jackson guided the Bulls to six NBA titles from a period of 1991 to 1998.
His next stop was the Lakers post where Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant played a key role in three straight titles from 2000 to 2002.
His nine championships tied him with the legendary Red Auerbach and Jackson proved to be the fastest coach in league history to reach 900 wins.
While with the Bulls he led that team to the best regular season record in history at 72-10, earning him NBA Coach of the Year honors.
BEGAN IN WILLISTON
Jackson credits his parents and the time he spent in Williston for his development.
His passion has been community work and getting guys to play together, while the X's and O's have always been there, he likes to think of himself always as a “competitor.”
He looks at the sport as being about, “Playing together and development.”
A part of that development he credits to his mother who played basketball and was a high school team captain in Wolf Point, Mont., and he termed her as a “competitor.”
Jackson told us it was “an array of things,” that led him to this point, including “life games” along the way.
He recalled his family making the move to Williston early in his life.
It was at a time this community, “Put a lot of energy into their kids.”
NO TV BACK THEN
A lot of the energy was put to good use as Jackson said, “There was no TV reception in 1957 unless you had a 100-foot antenna and the energy was put into the kids.”
Jackson pointed to the fact Williston had some really good teams and athletes and was a “dominant power.”
At the same time, Jackson indicated it proved fortunate that former coaches and mentors H.L. Pedersen and Bob Peterson tended to “balance out each other.”
Pedersen was the hardcore former Marine who coached football, while Peterson, a church elder, was a guiding force.
BABE RUTH BASEBALL
Actually Jackson began his coaching career as a youngster in Williston being involved in the Babe Ruth baseball program, working with long-time program director Ardean Aafedt.
Aafedt, for whom the local baseball diamond is named, was instrumental in forming the strong diamond program which remains in place today.
Who would have known when Jackson first began tutoring 15-16 year-old Williston youngsters in the finer points of the game of baseball that one day he would become nationally recognized as one of the best coaches ever in the sport of basketball.
TIME IN WILLISTON
While Jackson has returned to his home community on numerous occasions, including the dedication of the Jackson Field House, he credits the education system here as being top shelf.
Beholding to the lessons he was taught while here, Jackson responded by saying, “Oh my goodness, yes, Williston always had very good teachers.”
Jackson also credited the late Leon Olson as being, “As always a very special person to all of us as kids growing up.”
Today, the Leon B. Olson Campus at Williston High School, houses the Jackson Field House.
SOME OTHER AWARDS
En route to the big Hall, it wasn't all that long ago when we attended a ceremony in Jamestown when Jackson was inducted into the North Dakota Hall of Fame.
The Herald established the Jackson Award which has been won by Brian Qvale over the past two seasons.
In addition, his No. 22 basketball uniform number has been retired at Williston High School.
IN FINAL PUSH
Now the former Coyote finds himself at a stage of the season where he is concentrating all of his energy to get his team healthy and formulate a competitive drive into his players, as to “what they have to do.”
While he has one year remaining on his coaching contract with the Lakers, and while he has been asked to remain in that capacity, his only concern is how successful his team is now.
After all, on the professional level winning is what it's all about.
That my friends is what convinced the voters to place him in the big Hall.
Jackson Field House, long named in his honor, can now proclaim display a plaque claiming the facility is the home of a former Coyote who has reached the Hall of Fame.
You can't do much better than that.
We send out a Scope Salute.
scope@willistonherald.com|572-2165
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