Former NBA head coach Phil Jackson has recently made his opinion on the NBA very clear, saying that he hasn’t watched the product since the NBA bubble due to it becoming “overly political”. Former NBA star and current ESPN personality Jalen Rose ripped him for this take on Sunday.
Jackson appeared to be referring to the NBA diving more into the “Black Lives Matter” cause that many players and fans are extremely passionate about. He detailed that the slogan on NBA courts turned him off of the NBA product.
“They even had slogans on the floor and the baseline. It was trying to bring a certain audience to the game, and they didn’t know it was turning other people off. People want to see sports as non-political.”
Phil Jackson says he hasn’t watched the NBA since the Bubble:
“They even had slogans on the floor and the baseline. It was trying… to bring a certain audience to the game, and they didn't know it was turning other people off. People want to see sports as non-political.” pic.twitter.com/njYUCnL45p
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) April 22, 2023
Jalen Rose took notice of this, blasting him for his opinion and telling him to stay away from the NBA product forever.
“The same Phil Jackson that won championships with some of the greatest Black athletes in the history of the game. Michael Jordan. Scottie Pippen. Shaquille O’Neal. Kobe Bryant. Made millions on their backs. And off their sweat equity.”
“You’re sitting there watching the game with your grandkids, and ya’ll think it’s funny when justice passes the ball to equal opportunity?” Rose said. “When somebody shows you who they are, believe them.”
Many around the sports world tended to agree with Rose’s sentiment regarding Phil Jackson.
Phil Jackson has been trying to tell us who he is since he talked about Lebron's "posse"
This is why a lot of those "cookout" invites are premature and not in our best interest
A person can be around Black people their entire life, marry Black & profit off us and still HATE us. https://t.co/ewq2ZnnR0n
— BlackVoice4u (@BlackVoice4u) April 24, 2023
https://twitter.com/BanquoDyar/status/1650275290097270785
I follow almost no one famous. That includes politicians, Hollywood celebrities, media, and, yes, athletes.
But this is why I follow @JalenRose. No punches pulled and no lies told. https://t.co/Kc4gnAuuXt
— Aji Wings is @ajijaakwe.bsky.social (@Ajijaakwe) April 24, 2023
https://twitter.com/FoxKingdxm/status/1650255746389377026
Phil a clown for that wow .. https://t.co/xicBHiMu5h
— YaBiggestOpp❤️🩹❌ (@RaidaaPunch) April 24, 2023
It is certainly sad to hear that a legend of the game like Phil Jackson is no longer watching the product. However, it seems very clear that Rose doesn’t miss his presence all that much.
About Reice Shipley
Reice Shipley is a staff writer for Comeback Media that graduated from Ithaca College with a degree in Sports Media. He previously worked at Barrett Sports Media and is a fan of all things Syracuse sports.