Phil Jackson Hired as Lakers Head Coach on June 11, 1999
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On June 11, 1999, the Los Angeles Lakers announced the hiring of Phil Jackson, a decision that reshaped the franchise’s trajectory for more than a decade.
Jackson arrived with an imposing résumé, having guided the Chicago Bulls to six NBA championships during the 1990s. The Lakers, meanwhile, had struggled to convert their considerable talent—headlined by Shaquille O’Neal, signed in 1996, and Kobe Bryant, drafted the same summer—into postseason success. Consecutive playoff sweeps at the hands of the Utah Jazz and San Antonio Spurs underscored the team’s need for a new direction.
The impact was immediate. Under Jackson in 1999-00, Los Angeles posted the league’s best record and captured its first NBA title since 1988. Championships followed in 2001 and 2002, cementing a three-peat and establishing the Lakers as one of the era’s dominant dynasties.
Jackson stepped away after the 2003-04 season but returned in 2006. Led by Bryant and newcomer Pau Gasol, the Lakers added two more titles in 2009 and 2010, bringing Jackson’s championship total in Los Angeles to five.
After departing the Lakers, Jackson later joined—and subsequently left—the New York Knicks’ front office. Nonetheless, his legacy in Los Angeles remains intact, with five championships highlighting his tenure as one of the most successful coaching stints in NBA history.
Source: Lakers Nation
