Ranking Phil Jackson's top 10 players he has coached

[crisoner]

For Phil's 70th b-day I thought this would be a great list for discussion....


1) Jordan - Need we say more?

2) Shaq - Now here is where the debate starts. Shaq was at his most dominant while under Phil and you can even argue 2000-2002 Shaq was a more unstoppable force then Jordan and Kobe combined. No team in the league could stop him....and if he could of made free throws...it would of been unfair.

3) Kobe - As great as Kobe is in this list he falls to number 3 in my book. I'm pretty sure the Kobe Stans will bump him up to one...and Kobe haters will have him drop to four behind this guy...

4) Pippen - Pip could do it all. Score defend.....One of the 50 greatest players of all time. I don't think he gets the respect he deserves having to be second fiddle to MJ. But just imagine if he won that title in Portland.

5) Malone - Now some of you will say it was only one year etc. But this is my list and we are talking about greatest players he coached. Karl Malone has the 2nd most points in NBA history. Yes just one year with Phil...and if he wasn't hurt maybe he would of had a title with Phil as well.

6) Rodman - The Worm...greatest rebounder of all time period. Phil did a great job keeping Dennis' crazy persona contained.

7) Gasol - Pau was everything the Lakers needed for their recent back to back titles (well 5 years a go isn't a long time to me these days). One of the best Euro products of all time period.

8) Payton - The Glove.....Following what I said about Malone...GP is one of my favorite PG's of all time period.

9) Grant - Many forget on how important Horace Grant was to the first 3 Bulls titles. Jordan Pippen and Grant was a great trifecta.

10) Odom - The Goods....I think Lamar should of had a better career then he did. At his frame the way he handle the ball was amazing. 6th man if the year and two titles under Phil. Artest comes close here as well.

That's my list....I might of missed some players but let me know what you guys think.

Happy B-day Zen Master!!!

[Real Men Wear Green]

List isn't bad but if we only are judging them based on their Laker time under PJ then Gasol is above Malone. Conversely if it's about the whole career GP vaults over Gasol and maybe Rodman.

[Marchesk]

Karl Malone > Pippen all-time

Karl Malone is top 20 and Pippen isn't. If anyone wishes to argue otherwise, I have one thing for you. Who would help you win more rings, Stockton or Jordan?

[Rocketswin2013]

Incredible coach. I doubt Shaq ever becomes what we know him to be now without him.


And Jordan seemed to be more of Wilt Chamberlain at the Guard position I'm terms of his combination of talent and mentality before Phil Jackson.

When Phil coached them:
1. Jordan
2. Shaq
3. Kobe
4. Pippen
5. Gasol
6. Kukoc
7. Rodman
8. Odom
9. Bynum
10. Grant

[crisoner]

Karl Malone > Pippen all-time

Karl Malone is top 20 and Pippen isn't. If anyone wishes to argue otherwise, I have one thing for you. Who would help you win more rings, Stockton or Jordan?

Great point

[riseagainst]

great coach, but slightly overrated due to the players he was blessed with as well. Two of the most dominant players ever played under him. Then we have Kobe.

[Bankaii]

Karl Malone > Pippen all-time

Karl Malone is top 20 and Pippen isn't. If anyone wishes to argue otherwise, I have one thing for you. Who would help you win more rings, Stockton or Jordan?
That has nothing to do with the thread old man. Phil coached Malone for one year. Unless you're senile enough to say 2004 Malone > Pippen's career as a Bull

[Fallen Angel]

All-Time Rankings:

Tier 1: Michael Jordan
Tier 2: Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant
Tier 3: Karl Malone
Tier 4: Scottie Pippen, Gary Payton
Tier 5: Pau Gasol, Dennis Rodman

[dannywpt]

Could of, should of, would of...

My brain hurts trying to read this. :cry:

[Indian guy]

When they played under Phil

1) MJ
2) Shaq
3) Kobe
4) Pippen
5) Gasol
6) Grant
7) Rodman
8) Odom
9) Kukoc
10) Malone

[crisoner]

When they played under Phil


10) Armstrong


BJ? lol

[Marchesk]

If you're just going by the time Phil coached players, then no Horry or Fisher?

Because an old Malone and Payton for one season don't rank above their contributions over multiple championship seasons.

[Indian guy]

BJ? lol

I'd put Kukoc ahead of him, actually. But BJ comes right after that. Very handy offensive player on 3 championship teams and even managed to make an AS team in 1994.

[sd3035]

Is this based on when Phil coached them, or their overall careers? If it's overall, there's no way Gasol is better than Payton, and Odom shouldn't be on the list in any case

[HOoopCityJones]

All-Time Rankings:

Tier 1: Michael Jordan
Tier 2: Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant
Tier 3: Karl Malone
Tier 4: Scottie Pippen, Gary Payton
Tier 5: Pau Gasol, Dennis Rodman

Pau should be in tier 3 or 4.

[crisoner]

I'd put Kukoc ahead of him, actually. But BJ comes right after that. Very handy offensive player on 3 championship teams and even managed to make an AS team in 1994.

I got Harper and Fisher in front of BJ.

[Optimus Prime]

Are we just counting the time Phil coached them or their overall careers? I don't think it's fair to list Malone and Payton so high when Phil only coached them for one season and they were shells of their former great selves. Anyway, I'm going with the former so...

1. Jordan
2. Kobe
3. Shaq
4. Pippen
5. Rodman
6. Gasol
7. BIG SHOT ROB
8. Grant
9. Fish
10 Adam Morrison

http://thesportshernia.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83451b84f69e201157128bcad970b-450wi

:pimp: :bowdown:

[sd3035]

1st team - Jordan, Kobe, Shaq

2nd team - Pippen, Malone, Payton

3rd team - Gasol, Rodman, Horry





This is based on the players overall, not just when Phil coached them

[crisoner]

Are we just counting the time Phil coached them or their overall careers? I don't think it's fair to list Malone and Payton so high when Phil only coached them for one season and they were shells of their former great selves. Anyway, I'm going with the former so...

1. Jordan
2. Kobe
3. Shaq
4. Pippen
5. Rodman
6. Gasol
7. BIG SHOT ROB
8. Grant
9. Fish
10 Adam Morrison

http://thesportshernia.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83451b84f69e201157128bcad970b-450wi

:pimp: :bowdown:

LMAO

[Just2McFly]

98-04 Shaq vs 90-98 Jordan...

[G-train]

1. Jordan
2. Shaq
3. Kobe
4. Pippen
5. Gasol
6. Rodman
7. Grant
8. Bynum
9. Kukoc
10. Odom

[Smoke117]

All-Time Rankings:

Tier 1: Michael Jordan
Tier 2: Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant
Tier 3: Karl Malone
Tier 4: Scottie Pippen, Gary Payton
Tier 5: Pau Gasol, Dennis Rodman

lol...Shaq is absolutely on tier one.

[guy]

1. Jordan
2. Shaq
3. Kobe
4. Pippen
5. Gasol
6. Rodman
7. Odom
8. Grant
9. Bynum
10. Kukoc

[crisoner]

Not sold on Kukoc....

Decent player but I wouldn't put him in Phil's top ten.

[Fallen Angel]

lol...Shaq is absolutely on tier one.
No. Shaq isn't in Jordan's hemisphere in an All-Time ranking..

[Odinn]

I don't like doing this by just considering names alone, not factoring the player's level of play at the time P-Jax coached them.


1. Jordan
2. Shaq
3. Kobe
4. Pippen
5. Gasol
6. Rodman
7. Grant
8. Odom
9. Kukoca
10. Payton or Malone

[Cocaine80s]

Could of, should of, would of...

My brain hurts trying to read this. :cry:
This.

Its ****ing could've,should've, would've


We learned this in ****ing middle school :facepalm

[West-Side]

While playing under Phil:

1) Michael Jordan
2) Shaquille O'Neal
3) Kobe Bryant
4) Scottie Pippen
5) Pau Gasol
6) Dennis Rodman
7) Karl Malone
8) Lamar Odom
9) Horace Grant
10) Toni Kokuc / Robert Horry

Fisher, Harper, Payton, Rice all should be honorable mentions though.


As far as their careers are concerned:

1) Jordan
2) Bryant
3) O'Neal
4) Malone
5) Payton
6) Rodman
7) Gasol
8) Rice
9) Richmond
10) H.Grant

[West-Side]

1. Jordan
2. Shaq
3. Kobe
4. Pippen
5. Gasol
6. Rodman
7. Odom
8. Grant
9. Bynum
10. Kukoc

Even though he was hardly playing in the playoffs for the team?
I'd say Horry or Fisher were far more instrumental; let alone guys like Kokuc and Harper.

Bynum, talent wise, sure; I'd even put him slightly higher but his production (especially come playoffs)...well, he shouldn't be anywhere near top 10.

Glen Rice in 2000 had a bigger impact for LA than Bynum ever did in the playoffs.

[Smoke117]

Are we just counting the time Phil coached them or their overall careers? I don't think it's fair to list Malone and Payton so high when Phil only coached them for one season and they were shells of their former great selves. Anyway, I'm going with the former so...

1. Jordan
2. Kobe
3. Shaq
4. Pippen
5. Rodman
6. Gasol
7. BIG SHOT ROB
8. Grant
9. Fish
10 Adam Morrison


That's just insulting to Horace Grant...I'll never understand why people overrate Robert Horry. Yeah he's made some big shots...but game-in-game-out he was an average bench who was lazy as hell. Grant on the Bulls had a much, much bigger impact than horry did game-in-game-out. Grant scored more, he was a better defensive player, he was a better rebounder...Horry has no case over Grant as a better player. I'm thinking the only Horace Grant you ever saw was the Lakers version.