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In his book, Sacred Hoops, Phil Jackson discusses in depth his philoso-phy of mindful basketball. He fills his memoir with stories about his already legendary team-Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman, Toni Kukoc, and other essential contributors to his successful
career as the Bulls coach. Jackson discusses his coaching approach, which is to be respectful of the game and the team's opponents, to be aggressive without anger or violence, to live in the reality of the game but to still be “calmly focused in the midst of chaos,” and the emphasis on “we” as well as the “me.” Jackson shares with us his thoughts, his style, and his sensitive interaction with his players. In many ways he embodies the principles of basketball's creator, James Naismith. But his very stimulating discussions also present us with a theory of leadership, which has been tested by his team's performance. The Bulls won six NBA championships under his coaching leadership. He was able to develop a team spirit among individuals who have their own strong personalities, and he has been fair and sensitive to the strengths of his team's adversaries. He inspires his team's trust, faith, and belief in each other, despite their individualities. The nuggets of wisdom interspersed with personal biographical references are insightful and empathic.
In the introduction to this series of essays, Jackson states his vision and his dream when he was named head coach of the Chicago Bulls in 1989. This dream was to win championships in a way that wove together his “two greatest passions: basketball and spiritual exploration.” He recognized that there was a link between spirit and sport, as is the case in every human endeavor where the leader and his or her philosophy are important in outcome performance and attitude. Unlike other coaches, he asserts that “winning” at any cost did not interest him, a wise principle especially in today's world and in basketball, where the bottom line and winning seem to prevail