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The Los Angeles Lakers management has been dealing with significant turmoil lately. Whether it’s the back-to-back ownership changes or the internal conflict within the Buss family, it has opened a can of worms for the public. On top of that, the 2025-26 season also marked the end of the LeBron James era in California.
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Jeanie Buss shares why Phil Jackson will get a statue
Nonetheless, Lakers Nation had something to cheer about recently, as the organization decided to honor former head coach Phil Jackson with a long-deserved statue. Currently undergoing intense legal proceedings with her family, Jeanie Buss recently issued a statement paying homage to the Zen Master, who coached the Purple and Gold to five NBA championships.
“Phil Jackson defines championship basketball for a reason. His masterful approach to coaching brought out the best in some of the greatest athletes to ever play the game. After he accepted my dad’s invitation to join the Lakers, Phil’s unmatched creativity and commitment to excellence restored our championship legacy, bringing five titles and setting a standard of excellence for generations to come,”said Buss, who had worked closely with Jackson as the Lakers’ president and governor.
In his 11 seasons as head coach for the Lakers, Jackson led the organization to several moments of glory, from the Shaq-Kobe three-peat to Kobe’s resurgence as No. 24. The Top 15 coach in NBA history posted a 610-292 record, with a 67 percent winning rate. So it was time for him to get his statue outside Crypto.com Arena.
A statue for the Phil Jackson. 💜💛
Lakers legendary coach Phil Jackson will be honored with a statue outside https://t.co/6tZUQWKS3X Arena on April 9 before the Lakers take on the Timberwolves.#lakeshow#lakerspic.twitter.com/dfPkCLD497
— The Sporting Tribune (@SportingTrib) September 8, 2026
A roller coaster ride
Coming off a legendary run with the Michael Jordan-led Chicago Bulls, Jackson had indeed built a strong reputation by the time he signed with the Lakers in 1999. Taking the coaching reins, he wasted no time, winning a championship in his first year as head coach in Los Angeles.
Nonetheless, the Zen Master had to deal with his fair share of ups and downs as well, especially when it came to the friction between Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant. He once likened their feud to the biblical rivalry between Cain and Abel. Not to mention that Phil also had his separate issues with his former Lakers teammates, often finding it difficult to deal with their respective headstrong personalities.
Jackson also strained his relationship with management for a while, leading to their parting ways in 2004. Reuniting with them a year later, Jackson renewed his relationship with Bryant, whom he once described as uncoachable during the 2003-04 season. Nonetheless, putting the past behind them, the legendary coach-player duo went on to win back-to-back titles in 2009 and 2010.
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Phil retired after the 2010-11 season, when the Lakers were eliminated in the semifinals by the eventual champions, the Dallas Mavericks, falling short of adding a fourth three-peat to his Hall of Fame resume. Sixteen years later, the organization continues to acknowledge his contributions, this time with the highest form of honor.
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List of players with Lakers statues
Jackson recently found himself in esteemed company as the Lakers announced a statue in his honor. The Zen Master will join other Lakers stalwarts such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant, Jerry West, and Elgin Baylor, whose sculptures remain popular landmarks outside Crypto.com Arena.
Earlier this year, the Lakers immortalized another former coach, Pat Riley, a pivotal figure in the team’s success during the Showtime era. Joining Riley as the only Lakers coach ever to have his statue, Jackson shared some interesting dynamics with The Godfather back in the day. The two often clashed during their respective coaching stints with the Bulls and Knicks.
That said, one awaits to see who attends Phil’s statue unveiling ceremony come April 2027, given his contributions to many Hall of Fame careers in the NBA.
Related: Red Auerbach once disrespected Phil Jackson’s success and they got into a feud: “They can’t do any worse”
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This story was originally published September 9, 2026 at 5:41 AM.