Mindgames: Phil Jackson's Long Strange Journey - Paperback

by Roland Lazenby (Author)

Mindgames follows the journey of Phil Jackson to the top of basketball's coaching hierarchy, a rise that took him from obscurity in the Continental Basketball Association to nine championship rings in the NBA. Along the way he turned multimillionaire players on to meditation, transformed the Michael Jordan-led Chicago Bulls from a one-man show to a five-man team of domination, and after battling with Bulls management, ended one dynasty to start another on the West Coast. Sportswriter Roland Lazenby, author of the bestselling Blood on the Horns, reveals the fascinating story of Jackson's life, from his years with the New York Knicks under the legendary Red Holzman to his remarkable nine championships coaching first the Chicago Bulls and then the Los Angeles Lakers. In Mindgames Lazenby compellingly portrays a man with a unique determination to control the competitive environment he inhabits. A clear picture of the Jackson mystique emerges: philosopher, teacher, manipulator, counselor, psychologist, shaman, champion, master of mind games.

Back Jacket

National bestseller reveals the man behind eight NBA championships

"A must for any serious student of basketball."
--Gary Dretzka, "Chicago Tribune

"Mindgames follows the journey of Phil Jackson to the top of basketball's coaching hierarchy, a rise that took him from failure and obscurity in the CBA to eight championship rings in the NBA. Along the way he turned multimillionaire players on to meditation, transformed the Michael Jordan-led Chicago Bulls from a one-man show into a five-man team of domination, and, after battling with Bulls management, ended one dynasty to start another on the West Coast.

Sportswriter Roland Lazenby, author of the bestselling "Blood on the Horns and "Mad Game, reveals the fascinating elements of Jackson's life and mental approach to coaching that have made followers of his players but also have made him--perhaps not surprisingly--unpredictable and sometimes unpopular to outsiders. It is also a detailed basketball story, with entertaining accounts from Jackson's years with the New York Knicks under the legendary Red Holzman to his remarkable eight championships coaching first the Chicago Bulls and then the Los Angeles Lakers. This paperback edition of "Mindgames includes a new chapter on the 2000-2001 season, in which Jackson and the Lakers overcame the perils of success and team-breaking player infighting to capture their second consecutive NBA title.

In "Mindgames, Lazenby compellingly portrays a man with a unique determination to control the competitive environment he inhabits. A clear picture of the Jackson mystique emerges: philosopher, teacher, manipulator, counselor, psychologist, shaman, champion, master of mind games.

Author Biography

Roland Lazenby is a sportswriter, an instructor of communications at Virginia Tech University, and the author of numerous sports books, including Blood on the Horns: The Long Strange Ride of Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls and The Show: The Inside Story of the Spectacular Los Angeles Lakers in the Words of Those Who Lived It.