If Phil Jackson could pick any NBA player for a dream team, it'd be Bill Russell — not Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant.
Jackson is making the media rounds to promote his new book, "11 Rings: The Soul Of Success." The legendary coach sat down with Time magazine on Thursday and suggested that Russell, not Jordan or Bryant, is the greatest NBA player ever.
Time asked Jackson if he was starting a team from scratch and could have any player in history, whom would he pick.
"In my estimation, the guy that has to be there would be Bill Russell. He has won 11 championships as a player," he answered. "I think that's really the idea of what excellence is, when you win championships."
Jackson stirred headlines in May when he compared Jordan and Bryant. When asked if he had to choose between those two players, Jackson offered a more diplomatic answer.
"I would flip a coin and whichever one came up heads or tails, I'd take that person," Jackson said. "They were that good."
He added that the Lakers were the only team he would have considered coaching for again, which didn't happen last year when Los Angeles instead chose Mike D'Antoni to coach. Jackson also revealed how he treated Bryant differently after a woman accused the player of rape, blaming it on his own experience with what happened to his daughter in college.
Jackson isn't optimistic about Kobe winning another championship either, given the star's age and recent Achilles injury. He described the injury as "devastating," and incredibly difficult to come back from, but added, "If anybody can, Kobe will."
"11 Rings: The Soul Of Success" is availabe now.
