Phil Jackson Says He'd Take Bill Russell over Michael Jordan on His Dream Team

Phil Jackson has spoken: If he had to draft a basketball dream team, his No. 1 pick would not be Michael Jordan.

So who is Jackson’s choice? What hardwood hero would the Zen Master choose over His Airness to lead his basketball team? Is it LeBron James? Kareem Abdul-Jabbar? Kobe Bryant? 

None of the above, according to Jackson in a recent interview with Time (via ESPN):

"

In my estimation, the guy that has to be there would be Bill Russell. He has won 11 championships as a player. That’s really the idea of what excellence is, when you win championships.

"

It’s logic that many will argue, but as another man with 11 NBA Finals rings to his name, Jackson’s choice is coming from a wealth of experience. After coaching Jordan with the Chicago Bulls and Kobe Bryant with the Los Angeles Lakers, he knows dominance when he sees it.

Looking back at Russell’s resume, it’s impossible to deny the legendary status the former Boston Celtics superstar earned in the league.

Russell was a member of the powerhouse Celtics dynasties of the mid-20th century, winning 11 titles, five MVP awards and 12 All-Star team nods in his 13 years in Boston. 

Compare that to Jordan, who played under Jackson in the ‘90s and won six NBA titles, five MVP awards and 12 All-Star nods during his career with the Bulls (we’re going to forget about that whole Washington Wizards thing, at least for the nonce).

In MVP and All-Star recognitions, the two are matched pretty evenly, but as you’ve likely noted, there is a fat difference in the number of NBA titles each earned. Eleven trumps five any day, but it’s also worth mentioning they played in different times, with different teammates. 

Jordan was a voracious scorer; Russell was an inhuman shot-blocker. They were very different, except for the fact they commanded the respect and fear of every opponent they faced. 

This leaves us with the question: Is the Zen Master drinking too much herbal tea? Or is he dead-on again, as he happened to be so many times while coaching the greatest players in the game?