Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant are more similar than perhaps any two players have ever been. MJ became the GOAT based on his deep desire to be the best and win, he led the Chicago Bulls to 6 championships in 8 seasons. Kobe Bryant watched MJ and idolized him, bringing another layer of intensity to the league when he finally made it. Although Kobe didn’t quite do everything MJ did, he did enough to put himself into the GOAT conversation.
Phil Jackson was the common denominator, he was Head Coach for all 6 of MJ’s championships and all 5 of Kobe Bryant‘s as well. Jackson was known as the Zen Master, and his use of Tex Winter’s triangle offense allowed him to build teams that no one could challenge. The last 3 three-peats in the NBA all belong to Phil Jackson-coached teams.
The Triangle Offense Needed A Transcendental Player To Take Over At Times, Said Michael Jordan
Phil Jackson’s detractors point to the elite talent he always had on his title-winning teams when talking about his achievements. Having Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Shaquille O’Neal, and Kobe Bryant would be enough to bring any Head Coach a lot of success. This is a flawed take, but it does have some merit. And even Michael Jordan, speaking to GQ in 2007, revealed that the triangle offense’s success was predicated on having a GOAT-caliber player on the roster.
“It’s a bit deeper than that. I give Tex credit—he expanded my horizons about seeing everybody in terms of certain roles and letting me decide how to utilize all of them. The Triangle kept everybody occupied, doing their roles. It gave me opportunities in the post.
“When I involved John Paxson or Steve Kerr, it was built on the Triangle, but it was also built on my mentality to say, “Hey, I’m going to see if this guy can knock down the big shot.” If it was Game 7, would I make that pass? Probably not. In the NBA, you need someone who can break away from the system. The Triangle won’t work without a Michael Jordan or a Kobe Bryant.”
The NBA’s offensive systems have moved past the triangle, but it did revolutionize and dominate the game for 2 decades. The truth of any professional sports league is that consistent winning comes from a combination of careful planning, lots of hard work, and elite-level talent. All those things are needed to succeed consistently, and those who can bring them together, like Phil Jackson, can claim the title of the best.
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