Former NBA coach Phil Jackson said he likely would have returned to the league if the bid by a Seattle group to relocate the Sacramento Kings hadn't failed. The NBA board of governors met on Wednesday and squashed the Seattle group's offer to buy the Kings franchise, in turn killing a possible return for Jackson.
In an appearance Thursday night on the "Tonight Show", Jackson told host Jay Leno how close he came to returning to the NBA with a front office job.
"I had communication with the guy that's trying to make this move," Jackson said, referencing Chris Hansen, the leader of the Seattle bid. "It was serious talk. I thought he was a really good guy for the league."
His come-back hinged on the Kings moving to Seattle under new ownership. After the NBA rejected the bid, Jackson said he didn't see himself still joining with the Kings.
"I won't be doing the (front-office) job in Sacramento. I like Sacramento," Jackson said. "Well, not that much."
There's no hurry for him to take the first job that comes. The Toronto Raptors recently interviewed Jackson for a front office job, but the former coach turned it down. He's made it clear in the past few months that he isn't interested in coaching again and will accept only a front office job that interests him.
If he doesn't find the perfect job this season, he sounds content to wait. He's currently busy with a multi-city tour to promote his new book, "Eleven Rings."
In the book, the 11-time NBA Championship-winning coach dishes on the similarities and differences between Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan, both of whom he coached.
Phil also took time on the show to offer his take on how the coaching situation last year in Los Angeles went down:
