After winning six NBA Championships with the Chicago Bulls, Phil Jackson took a short hiatus from the league. But he was brought back into business by the Los Angeles Lakers.
Apart from winning titles with the Lakers, Jackson also found love when coaching the Lakers. Yes, we are talking about Jackson’s relationship with the now-owner of the team, Jeanie Buss. In a recent episode of ‘Tetragrammaton with Rick Rubin,’ Jackson explained how his romance with Buss started.
“I get to the airport, typical Vancouver thing, it’s raining, flights have been delayed. There’s Jeanie Buss waiting in the lobby waiting for her plane. So we have about an hour to sit, and we sat and talked for about an hour,” Jackson said. “She was going to a birthday party, and I think was turning 38 at the time, and I said, ‘Do you wanna sit together in the plane?’ She said, ‘Are you in the first class?’ I said, ‘Yeah.’ She said, ‘I don’t fly first class, I fly coach.’ I said, ‘Okay, how come?’ She said, ‘Well, I’m the boss’ daughter, and I don’t wanna do that. My Girl. That’s the type of thing I like.”
(Starts at 1:41:26)
For a coach to be dating the daughter of the owner is uncommon in the NBA. But it worked out well for Phil and Jeanie.
A crucial reason behind that was probably that Jackson didn’t let his work get impacted due to his relationship. Jackson won five NBA titles with the Lakers, including a three-peat.
Robert Horry Explains Why Phil Jackson Was Not Suspended Like Ime Udoka When He Dated Jeanie Buss
Phil Jackson and Jeanie Buss’ relationship started in 1999. They were together until 2016, which included being engaged for four years.
The couple mutually broke up due to their differences, but the league had no interference in it whatsoever. That’s unlike what happened when Ime Udoka’s relationship with a Celtics staff member was uncovered.
At the time, many were confused why Udoka didn’t receive the same treatment as Jackson. Well, former Lakers player Robert Horry answered the question.
“I’ve had so many people come up to me and be like, ‘Well, why Phil didn’t get kicked off the team when he was dating Jeanie Buss?’ I’m like, ‘Because he was dating Jeanie Buss,’” the seven-time champ said. “That may not be against their team policy. I’m pretty sure if Ime was a Laker and did what he did, that still would have been against team policy… But dating somebody and disclosing that, that’s not against team policy.”
Horry perfectly explained the difference between the two situations. Had Udoka revealed his relationship, he may have received a similar treatment to Jackson. But that was not the case by any means.
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