I am sorely disappointed with Phil Jackson. Irrespective of the tremendous work he has performed during the current season, he took an enormous step back in the coaching profession due to the publication of his fifth novel: The Last Season.
Jackson’s chronicle of the 2003-04 Los Angeles Lakers season seems to break several confidences. What happens in the huddle, the locker room, the team bus, the plan, training camp, the video room, or an office should stay within the team, despite the dollars a publisher may promise. Apparently, Kobe Bryant and Phil Jackson have a very tenuous relationship; how will detailing the conflicts between them help the two reconcile?
Secondly, several key situations are detailed where Jackson makes a decision in the face of enormous reservations. The cynic hater might say that Jackson sabotaged certain games in order to bruise Bryant’s credibility in the war of public opinion. The novel acts as a more of a tool to get a ten million dollar salary than clear the air or discuss coaching philosophy.
These Lakers are a perfect example of dysfunction, from the top down. However, Jackson does convey several useful pieces of information: the sensitivity needed to relate to fragile egos, subtle refinements to the sideline triangle, and interesting game management ideas. Perhaps most importantly is the strong case he makes for flexibility in a world that is constantly changing.
Having read Jackson’s work from Maverick to More than a Game, I sincerely hope that The Last Season is The Last Novel.