If the Lakers go on to win the NBA title this week, maybe they’ll start a religion for Phil Jackson, who’ll be well on his way to being the most successful man in the history of professional sports.
Jackson played on two championship teams for the New York Knicks, coached one in the CBA in Albany and is working on his seventh NBA championship as a coach. And many believe the Lakers can win several more with Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant.
John Salley, who, thanks to Jackson, could become the first player in NBA history to win championships with three different teams (Pistons, Bulls and Lakers), is ready to convert.
“It’s a religion,” said Salley of playing for Jackson. “You have to buy into it. You know, Jesus didn’t heal people on his own. He said, `Do you believe you can be healed?’ If you said yes, then you could. It’s a cool cult, man.”
So should Jackson be mentioned with Red Auerbach?
“Yes,” said Salley. “Red had great players and he put them together properly. “Phil has to organize 12 companies. Every guy makes over a million dollars. You have Shaq [O’Neal] over there with a big company, Kobe [Bryant] with an Italian subsidiary. You have A.C. [Green] doing evangelistic work, me doing comedy. Glen Rice, he’s like Santana. Rick Fox, married a singer, can’t act. Phil figured it out, what buttons to push.”
