Phil Jackson would take Bill Russell first to build a team

Riiiight Phil... Sly way to argue that you are the best coach ever because you have the rings.

 

Hakeem was way better than Russell, who was great, but not on both ends of the floor.

DD

 

More underrating of Bill Russell. He revolutionized the defenses back then. He was the best of his era. Yes better than Wilt. Much more impactful on D and a greater basketball mind. Who knows how good he would be with modern training and with today's knowledge. To compare him to Ben Wallace is laughable. He has qualities that Wallace never had with his great basketball mind and intangibles. He was even a player coach for several seasons.

Give him modern day nutrition and training and who knows how good he could be. He had very good physical tools along with a great feel of the game and leadership skills that would trounce pretty much anyone.

As for having loads of HOFs. Most of those HOF players were nothing special and rode his coattails. Also Wilt failed to beat him even when he had a team that was more stacked. Raw stats aren't everything.

 

He was good, Hakeem was better - on both ends.

DD

 

It's a team sport, and Russell's team at every position besides his own was better than Wilt's, and not just a little better, but a lot better.

Meanwhile Wilt was much better than Russell, and not just a little better, quite a lot better.

But 4 beats 1 every time.

The league was essentially

Wilt > Russell >> the rest of the celtics and a cpl other players here or there (such as West) >> everyone else

 

That's exactly what I'm thinking.

Phil could care less about building a championship team now. But if he had to, he'd pick himself as coach.

 

This, Jackson is just blinded by ring totals. He might even pick Robert Horry over Jordan, I mean cause look at all those rings.

 

Russell's teams were better at every position for a reason. They were used and involved. You could've taken Rusell's mates and stuck them next to Wilt and all they would have been doing is feeding the ball to Wilt for all his shots, turnovers, and missed free throws. While at the same time you could've put Wilt's teammates on Russell's teams and Red and Russell would have turned them into a team that could still win.

When you look back at Wilt's career and see the teammates he played with and what they did before and after they played with Wilt, you will see Wilt had just as much talent around him as Bill did. Bill and Red were smarter than Wilt and his coaches. They knew how to utilize the other 4. The only thing Wilt and his coach knew was to get the other 4 to throw Wilt the rock.

 

He only picked russell, because russell has 11 rings, like him, it's just self aggrandizing.

 

Uh, Wilt was a better team player than Russell once he left his earlier teams (this is by russell's own admission too), he'd set screens, help, create points for others, he even led the league in assists, but his earlier teams used to be coached to just have Wilt score and rebound, and it annoyed Wilt to no end.

You really have no idea what you're talking about, and I mean really really really really have no clue.

Better team mates because of Russell? in Russell's rookie year, the mvp was won by Bob Cousy, from the Boston Celtics and ROY? Tommy Heinsohn, also from the Boston Celtics....

And then there was the coaching difference....

 

I really can't believe how underrated Bill Russell is by basketball fans. You should judge a player by how impactful they were in their era. The man made his teammates better, made them into HOFers, his whole game revolved around how he could make his teammates effective! This guy, in my opinion is the greatest basketball team player to ever play the game. He may not be the greatest individual talent, but he knows how to run and play in a team. I would also take Bill first to build a team.

 

Russell was the leader, focal point, and captain on his team as they won those 11...was Horry?

Dumb comparison.

 

Damn, isn't it time to merge all of these Phil said this, Phil said that threads into one giant annoying Phil Jackson thread?

 

That's more like it.

 

I'd take Tyson Chandler or Joakim Noah myself.

 

What do you consider "focal point"? Russell was as much of the offense as Wallace and Deke, layups/dunks and putbacks.

If you put Russell and his skills/body into today's nba, he'd be a 10/12/4/2 guy, if you put the stilt he'd be a 25/12/4/2 perennial first teamer.

 

Yeah, and since you are making all these assumptions, it's safe to assume that Bill would win 11 rings and Wilt would win 1.

 

Yup...... Phil is no idiot, and his answers are ALWAYS carefully crafted for what is in his best interest. By hanging his hat entirely on rings, Phil can claim to be the best coach ever. Further, if Phil had the greatest player ever, then the argument is that he SHOULD of won multiple rings. Lets not forget that Red Auerbach and Phil did not get along. By calling Russell the best ever, he takes a little bit away from Red.

My other observation is that Phil Jackson to LA is not dead, hence his "flip a coin" comment concerning Kobe and Jordan. Phil has no benefit saying Jordan is better (other than the fact that he is WAY better), but he does potentially have a benefit being non commital, if he will be coaching Kobe.

If anyone needs any further evidence of whom Phil thinks IS better, look at the tweets of his girlfriend, that argued that Kobe, and not Jordan is better.

 

I'd start with Brian Cook.

 

Stay clueless, it suits you