Why Kobe Bryant Still Needs Phil Jackson

In his self-titled IMAX film, Michael Jordan spoke of how Phil Jackson had helped not only his understanding of the game but his understanding of life. The two were not mutually exclusive, however. Jordan credited Phil’s ability to apply his Zen philosophy to the game of basketball with helping him become a master of the moment and, ultimately, a master of the game.

As Phil himself explained, “Michael so embraced this, and I think that was the beauty in his game—that he had all these abilities to adjust and not force his own predetermined idea.”

It was Michael’s ability to seize the moment, to slow it down as he would say, that ultimately set him apart from every other player, dead or alive, when the games mattered most.

The recent NBA Finals series against the Boston Celtics clarified two things about Kobe Bryant: (1) that he is the current king of the NBA; and (2) that he can still get better.

Game 7, in particular, was a testament to his ability to excel in other facets of play when his shot isn’t falling. But while he racked up rebounds and stepped it up on the defensive end, Kobe didn’t stop shooting.

He kept forcing up shots, trying to do everything he could to win the game. He appeared out of rhythm offensively, moving as though the game had sped up for him and making poor decisions as a result. As Phil would say following the win, “He was a little bit too animated.”

And this was happening in the biggest game of his life, the culminating climax of everything he had worked toward until then. To his credit, Kobe still managed to do a lot of good things out there on the court, including making a conscious effort to get to the line in the 4^th quarter while Boston’s energy began to fade. Kobe's determination and willingness to do whatever it takes to win should never be questioned.

But despite his 15 rebounds and timely free throws, the reality is that the Lakers’ 4-point win ultimately saved him from becoming the face of the NBA’s most infamous choke job.

That said, things could have been different. And pondering such a thought is obviously relevant for Kobe’s future in the game. You see, unlike Jordan, Kobe has never taken to Phil’s philosophy in the same way, approaching notions that appear too ethereal with a cliché mumbo-jumbo attitude. To borrow a phrase from a Kobe press conference, it’s as Confucius as he gets.

By Phil’s and his own admission, Kobe has also never read the books which Phil assigns him, rolling his eyes every time an assigned book comes his way. Whether or not this is actually the case is irrelevant—it is always possible that Kobe secretly flips through the pages in the privacy of his own bedroom like a kid whose curiosity upstages his rebellion—because the books themselves mean nothing.

It is the disinterested attitude to Phil’s seemingly aerie-faerie ideas that is ultimately most telling, representing a rejection of the beyond-just-basketball subtleties which Phil has tried to teach. The game isn’t merely physical, and its mental dimension is not merely limited to decision-making and the politics of competitiveness.

There is more to it than that, which Michael Jordan’s game so eloquently revealed. It was his unrivaled ability to be in the moment and to plug himself into the flow and rhythm of the game which separated Jordan from the rest in the grandest of moments. And it is what continues to separate Jordan from Bryant.

Some may say that he’s good enough as he is, being arguably the best in the current NBA, and that comparisons are moot. But if we always focus on what we are, as opposed to what we aren’t, we leave little room for growth.

Kobe’s game has a lot to gain by him looking at what he wasn’t in Game 7 against the Celtics. If it turns out to be his last game with Phil at the helm, it would be a fitting reflection of where his development has lacked.

This isn’t to say that Kobe needs Phil Jackson to stick around. Another season under Phil isn’t likely to make much difference in Kobe’s development. The old axiom—you don’t realize what you have until it’s gone —may ultimately find itself to be applicable here.

Indeed, it is often observed that people come to a greater appreciation of their parents’ advice when they’re no longer around, often considering and even taking on certain approaches or beliefs they previously ignored or rejected. Likewise, Kobe’s game still has something to gain from Phil Jackson’s approach, but he may not learn it until Phil’s gone.