Let’s talk Phil Jackson. You know the name. The Zen Master. The guy with eleven championship rings. Eleven! He coached Michael Jordan. He coached Kobe Bryant. He’s a legend, no doubt. But here’s the sneaky question that makes people stop mid-bite: Did Phil Jackson play in the NBA?
The Short Answer is a Shocking Yes
Yes, he did. Phil Jackson wasn’t just a sideline genius. He was a real player. A big, shaggy-haired dude who actually logged minutes. He wasn’t a superstar. Not even close. But he was in the league.
Meet “Action” Jackson
Let’s go back to 1967. The New York Knicks drafted Phil in the second round. Second round! That’s not prime table seating. But he made the roster. He played power forward. He was 6’8” and looked like a friendly giant who lost his barber.
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His Nickname Wasn’t “Zen” Yet
Back then, they called him “Action.” Action Jackson! Picture a lanky white guy with a frizzy afro. That’s Phil. He played 12 seasons in the NBA. All for the Knicks and the New Jersey Nets. He even won two rings as a player in 1970 and 1973. He was a champion before he was a coach!
The Numbers Are… Humbling
Let’s be honest. Phil was not a star. He averaged 6.7 points per game for his career. That’s it. Six and a half points. And only 4.3 rebounds. He shot free throws at 69%—okay, not great for a big guy. He was a role player. A bench guy. A grinder. But that’s exactly why he became a great coach.
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He Learned the Hard Way
Phil didn’t just coast. He played through serious injuries. He had a hip condition that made him walk funny. Doctors told him to quit. He didn’t. He played in 807 regular-season games. That’s a lot of bus rides. He fouled out more than he scored 20 points. Classic.
The Quirky Details You’ll Love
Phil dragged his feet on defense. He was famously slow. Teammates joked he had “cement shoes.” But he was smart. He knew where to stand. He set bone-crushing screens. He studied the game on the bench. That’s where the Zen Master was born.
Who is Phil Jackson? Fast facts on the head coach of the Chicago Bulls
He Was the League’s First Hippie
Phil grew his hair long. He wore a headband. He read books about Native American spirituality on the team plane. Teammates thought he was weird. Red Holzman, his coach, said, “Phil is a strange bird.” But he was their strange bird. He was the guy who kept things loose in the locker room.
Wait, Did He Really Play with Kareem?
Almost! Phil played against Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in the 1970s. But his most famous teammate? That’s Walt “Clyde” Frazier. And Willis Reed—the guy who limped out for Game 7. Phil was there. He was on the floor when Willis made that legendary entrance. Chills.
His Last Game Was a Dud
Phil’s final NBA game was in 1980. He was with the Nets. He played nine minutes and scored zero points. Zero! He took one shot. Missed. Then he retired. No parade. No farewell tour. He just faded away. Then he became a legendary coach. Talk about a plot twist.
Celebrating 1990-91 - Phil Jackson | Chicago Bulls
Why This is So Fun to Talk About
Here’s why your friends will love this fact. People assume coaching geniuses were never players. They think Phil just read books and folded his arms. But no! He was a sweaty, foul-prone, slow-footed guy who earned his stripes. He knows what it’s like to sit on the end of the bench. He knows the pain of a losing streak. That’s why his players respected him.
It’s a Guy You Can Relate To
Phil wasn’t athletically gifted. He was average. But he was obsessed. He kept a diary of every play. He wrote down defensive schemes on napkins. He was a nerd in a giant’s body. Sound familiar? That’s why this story sticks. It’s a story of a guy who used his brain to outsmart the superstars.
Who is Phil Jackson? Fast facts on the head coach of the Chicago Bulls
The Final, Fun Fact
Phil Jackson played in the NBA. He has two player rings and eleven coaching rings. That’s thirteen total. There are only twelve months in a year! He literally has more rings than months. And he got them all after starting as a skinny, afroed oddball from Montana.
So Next Time Someone Says…
Next time someone says, “Phil Jackson is just a coach,” you can hit them with the truth. You can say, “Nope. He played. He was Action Jackson. He wore a headband. He fouled out. And he was a champion twice over.” Then watch their jaw drop. That’s the magic of trash talk.
So yes. Did Phil Jackson play in the NBA? Unequivocally, yes. And he did it with a little bit of grace and a whole lot of weird. What’s not to love?