Isiah Thomas: "Kobe Bryant Did Not Become Kobe... [Michael] Jordan Did Not Win, Until Phil Jackson Got There"
Isiah Thomas: "Kobe Bryant Did Not Become Kobe... [Michael] Jordan Did Not Win, Until Phil Jackson Got There" originally appeared on Fadeaway World.
Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, and almost all the NBA legends credit a major part of their success to finding the right coach in their careers. From finding the balance between discipline and maximizing strengths to devising a system that allows superstar players to flourish, the head coach has a massive responsibility on their shoulders. NBA legend Isiah Thomas believes Rick Carlisle could be the perfect fit for Tyrese Haliburton and the Pacers to do so.
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Rick Carlisle, who has been a coach for the past 23 years, could be the right man to elevate Haliburton's game and the Pacers to a championship-caliber team, says Thomas. Before Game 2 of the NBA Finals, he appeared on the pre-game show on ABC with Shaquille O'Neal and Kenny Smith to speak about the importance of a good coach.
"You went to the NBA Finals, but you didn't win an NBA championship until you met Phil Jackson," said Thomas to O'Neal. "Kobe Bryant did not become Kobe until Phil Jackson got there. Jordan did not win until Phil Jackson got him."
"You've got a coach in this series by the name of Rick Carlisle, 65 years old, and we saw him the other night run a triple stagger that none of these OKC players had seen before. Rick Carlisle is bringing out some old-school stuff... OKC is playing against an old-school offense, five-six-seven players in double figures. Sometimes they come down and they don't even dribble the ball in half court, and they're passing, moving, and cutting, and it ain't no isolation, one on one, shaky-shaky-shaky-shaky go left. This is a different style of basketball that OKC ain't used to playing against."
What Thomas meant to say was that he's bringing a bag of plays and tricks to the game that the opposition has never seen before. Therefore, it gives him an edge over the opposition, irrespective of whether it's the Thunder or any other team. The value of good coaching should not be lost in the era obsessed with finding the face of the NBA and the next big superstar in the league.
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Phil Jackson joined the Bulls in the 1989-90 season and just one season after losing to the Pistons in the Eastern Conference Finals, Jackson figured out how to beat them and win the Bulls their first championship in 1991. Before his arrival, Michael Jordan could not win beyond the conference finals in the Playoffs.
Similarly, in 1999, after moving on from the Bulls, Jackson signed with the Lakers to coach Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant. Before his arrival, O'Neal had been to the NBA finals with the Magic but never won a championship. His impact on the Lakers was immediate, as the Lakers won three consecutive titles after he joined them.
As the only coach in NBA history with two three-peats, Jackson's contributions to the NBA world have revitalized the importance of a good coach in today's league.
Related: Isiah Thomas Says Thunder Are Treating Anthony Edwards Like 'The Bad Boy' Pistons Treated Michael Jordan
This story was originally reported by Fadeaway World on Jun 9, 2025, where it first appeared.
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