Phil Jackson Returning Back to Coach Los Angeles Lakers?

Phil Jackson Returning Back to Los Angeles Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers are actually seeking to make their fans' fondest wishes come true and talking to Hall of Fame coach Phil Jackson about their vacant coaching job.

The Lakers confirmed on their website that Jackson discussed the job with owner Jim Buss and general manager Mitch Kupchak. They'll meet again early next week.

On Friday, Los Angeles fired coach Mike Brown after a 1-4 start to a season of enormous expectations. Short-term coach Bernie Bickerstaff led the Lakers to a blowout win over Golden State later that night, and the Lakers said Bickerstaff will coach the club in a home game against Sacramento on Sunday night.

Kobe Bryant and Dwight Howard have voiced their interest in playing for Jackson, and the legendary coach's return to the 16-time champion franchise seems possible as long as Jackson decides he's up to another time in the prestigious job with a team that won five titles and reached seven NBA finals in his 11 seasons on its bench.

“Knowing him the way I do, I think it's really just a matter of health, if he feels physically up to doing it,'' Bryant said Friday night.

''He's a perfectionist. We all know he's a perfectionist. If he feels like he can come in here and give what he demands from himself, then I think he would be interested.''

He won six championships with Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls, three with Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal leading the Lakers, and two with a Lakers team led by Bryant.

Jackson, a Hall-of-Famer since 2007, retired in May of 2011 after the Dallas Mavericks swept Los Angeles from the playoffs to end a Lakers season that Jackson had said would be his last.

Posted by Andre Monohan on Monday November 12 2012, 11:33 AM EST. Ref: Google. All trademarks acknowledged. Filed under Featured News. Comments and Trackbacks closed. Follow responses: RSS 2.0