Former Los Angeles Lakers head coach Phil Jackson renewed his long-standing campaign to expand the width of NBA courts, arguing that the change would equalize the distance of three-point attempts and better fit today’s faster, more athletic style of play.
On April 27, 2026, the 11-time championship coach posted on his X account: “15 years I’ve been asking the NBA rules committee to widen the court apron. Corner shot b-comes 23.9.” The remark answered Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr, who had floated the extreme notion of eliminating the three-point line because of the efficiency of corner threes.
Jackson contends that adding space along the sidelines would push the corner arc out to roughly 23 feet 9 inches, matching the distance of three-pointers taken above the break. Supporters believe the extra room would also improve floor spacing for players who, in Jackson’s words, “have outgrown the dimensions of the court.”
Critics counter that a wider floor could further tilt the game toward offense and reduce courtside seating, potentially cutting into arena revenue. Despite those hurdles, the 78-year-old Hall of Famer says he will keep pressing the NBA’s rules committee, as he has since his coaching days in the mid-2000s.
Lakers Maintain Focus With 3-1 Series Lead
Meanwhile, Jackson’s former team holds a 3-1 advantage over the Houston Rockets in their first-round matchup. After dropping Game 4 in Texas, LeBron James dismissed the idea that the Lakers are comfortable.
“Hell no,” James said when asked about the lead. “There’s no such thing as being comfortable until a series is done. None of us are.” The four-time MVP noted that no NBA club has ever erased a 3-0 deficit but echoed the late Kobe Bryant’s mantra of finishing the job before celebrating.
The Lakers can close out the series in Game 5 at Crypto.com Arena.
Source: Lakers Nation
