LOS ANGELES—NBA Hall of Fame Head Coach Phil Jackson will receive a statue outside Crypto Arena for the Los Angeles Lakers. The statue is expected to be revealed on April 9, 2027, during the team’s game against the Minnesota Timberwolves the organization announced Tuesday, September 8.
Jackson played in the NBA as a power forward winning 2 championships during his playing career. He soon became a coach in the NBA starting as an assistant coach for the Chicago Bulls in 1987. After two seasons, the Bulls promoted Jackson to head coach.
He was part of one of the greatest dynasties ever winning 6 championships with Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen with the Bulls, with Jordan and Pippen as his best players. One of those seasons, the team had a record setting 72-10 season.
Jackson was a part of a new era in Los Angeles in 1999 creating another dynasty on the west coast. This time around notable players included hall of famers Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant.
The Lakers won 3 championships in a row from 2000-2002. which hasn’t been done since his Jackson’s days coaching the Chicago Bulls. Jackson left the Lakers the following season as the team fell short in the NBA finals to the Detroit Pistons in 2004.
Jackson and the Lakers story wasn’t over. He returned to the franchise a year later to coach his former player Kobe Bryant. He coached the team to two more championships in 2009 and 2010 and retired shortly after.
Phil Jackson is one of the most decorated coaches of all time with 11 championships as a coach, 5 with the Lakers. He has the franchise record for most wins from a head coach.
His record with the Lakers is 610-292 in 11 seasons. He is No. 8 in history of head coaches in regular season wins, and 229 playoff wins. Jackson will be the ninth person to receive a statue for the Los Angeles Lakers.
