Phil Jackson revealed the late Kobe Bryant’s reaction after rejoining the Los Angeles Lakers as the head coach in 2005.
The decorated coach, who had a dynasty run with the Chicago Bulls was back with the Purple and Gold after the franchise cut him loose despite winning three championships in five years.
After his return, the Lakers won back-to-back titles in 2009 and 2010. Prior to his comeback, Los Angeles endured a disastrous run going 34-48 in the 2004-05 season. Injuries to Bryant and Lamar Odom were part of the reason behind their failure as the side struggled to become a faster-paced unit on the hardwood.
With coach Rudy Tomjanovich resigning midway through the season after coaching just 41 games, speculations were rife that Jackson would return, and he did while also subsequently inking a deal that would keep him till 2010.
Phil Jackson Reveals Kobe Bryant Called And Congratulated Him On Rejoining As The Lakers Head Coach
At that point when the Lakers failed to make the playoffs, a prime Kobe Bryant was all about winning championships, and Phil Jackson’s return was good news. From the player’s perspective, the side now had a mentor they could rely on and had championship DNA coursing through his veins.
This comes on the back of Jackson calling the Black Mamba “uncoachable” in his book, but the duo buried the hatchet when they reunited. Per Taipei Times, Jackson had spoken to Bryant before his return.
“I think it’s a matter of trust, a matter of rebuilding the trust that we had,” Jackson said of his relationship with Bryant. “And yes, I have talked to Kobe; he actually called me this morning to congratulate me on the job. And I felt confident that he’s confident that we can go forward.”
Bryant also went one step ahead when he announced publicly that he was keen on working with one of the most successful coaches in league history. Although some felt otherwise. Post his retirement, the legend was always all praise for Jackson.
“When the Lakers began the search for a new head coach, I put my complete trust in Dr. Buss and [general manager] Mitch Kupchak to select the person they thought was best for the Lakers’ organization. In Phil Jackson, they chose a proven winner. That is something I support.”
The end result saw the Lakers win two more championships, and Bryant eventually retired with five championship rings. Jackson had 11 NBA titles to his name as head coach.
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