Phil Jackson

In 1967, he married Maxine, with whom he had a child. They divorced in the year 1972.

In October 1974, he married June and they were blessed with four children. The couple divorced in 2000.

In March 2011, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer. He has publicly admitted that he has used lysergic acid diethylamide and marijuana.

Philip Douglas Phil Jackson was born on September 17, 1945 to Charles and Elisabeth Funk Jackson in Deer Lodge, Montana. He was brought up in a very austere environment, where television, dancing and other forms of entertainment were highly restricted.

In high school, he actively participated in sports and played varsity basketball, football, baseball and discus. He also enthusiastically took part in other field competitions.

In 1967, he became a part of the New York Knicks, a professional basketball team based in New York. He joined the team as a second-round draft choice.

In 1970, the New York Knicks basketball team were the winners of the National Basketball Association (NBA) championship. They were also winners of the 1973 NBA championship.

With the retirement of top-notch players, he became one of the leading substitutes. During the 1974-75 season, he made a total of 330 personal fouls, which he shared with Bob Dandridge of the Milwaukee Bucks.

In 1979, he went to Hudson to play two seasons for the New Jersey Nets professional basketball team. In 1980 he officially retired as a basketball player.

After his retirement as a player, he took to coaching a few lower-level leagues like the Puerto Rico's National Superior Basketball and the Continental Basketball Association. In 1987, he was appointed as the assistant coach to the Chicago Bulls, a professional basketball team based in Chicago.

In 1996, he was the recipient of the ‘NBA Coach of the Year Award’.

In 2010, he was the recipient of the Amos Alonzo Stagg Coaching Award, conferred upon him by the United States Sports Academy.