Phil Douglas Jackson was born on September 17, 1945 in Deer Lodge, Montana. Jackson attended High School in Williston, North Dakota. There he played varsity basketball and lead the team to two state titles along with playing football, being the pitcher of the baseball team and throwing the discus. Jackson attended college at North Dakota.

In 1967 Phil was drafted the 17th overall pick by the New York Knicks. Although he missed being part of the 1970 championship team due to a spinal injury, he was a key reserve of the 1973 championship team. Eventually he became a starter as the starters from those championships retired. Jackson played for the New Jersey Nets from the 1978 season until he retired into 1980.

Jackson began his coaching career in the CBA and coached the Albany Patrons to a championship. While coaching in the CBA he tried to get a job as an NBA coach but was turned down due to his history of sympathy for counterculture. Eventually in 1987 Jackson became an assistant coach for the Chicago Bulls before becoming the head coach in 1989.

Coaching Jordan and Pippen, Phil Jackson and Tex Winter's triangle offense won 6 titles with two three-peats during an 8 year span. The first from 1991-1993 and the second from 1996-1998. The success gave Jackson league wide respect and recognition, but Bulls General Manager Jerry Krause had never gotten along with Jackson and refused to bring him back for the 1998-1999 season being quoted saying before the 1997-1998 season "I dont care if its an 82 and 0 season, your (expletive) gone"

Jackson having planned to retire and not coach again decided to coach the Lakers in 1999 for the 1999-2000 season. In his first year he coached the Lakers to a 67-15 record and the first of three straight championships from 2000-2002. In 2003 the Lakers lost to the San Antonio Spurs and in 2004 they signed Karl Malone and Gary Payton, putting together a team with four future hall of famers but injures ruined a great start and they lost in the finals to the Detroit Pistons.

After the loss Jackson left as the Lakers were broken up ending the dynasty. But in 2005 Jackson re-signed with the Lakers with the hopes he could bring them back to the Finals. The most recent seasons have been interesting ones for Phil who has had a young team that do not respect him like the Bulls and Laker championships did. Jackson has also fixed his relationship with Kobe Bryant as they now share great respect for one another.

Phil Jackson won his 900th game on January 7, 2007 making him the fastest to win 900 games and 9th on the all-time win list for coaches. He has won a total of 10 championships. 9 of which are as a coach, tying him with Red Auerbach for the most titles as a coach. He also has the best winning percentage of all time, which at the end of the 2006-2007 season was 919-393 (70%). He became a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame in the 2007 class.