Phil Jackson has spoken out on the Los Angeles Lakers appointing Mike D’Antoni as their new coach after the whole basketball fraternity believed that the 11-time NBA champions would return to the helm. Jackson says he informed the Lakers he was confident he could do the job, and added that Mitch Kupchak and Jim Buss left their meeting with an assurance from Jackson that he would reach a decision on Monday.
Jackson says he wasn’t given that opportunity, because he was awoken by Kupchak at midnight on Sunday to say that D’Antoni had been hired.
“Saturday morning, [Lakers executive] Jim Buss called to ask if he could come and visit. I didn’t solicit or ask for the opportunity but I welcomed both him and [team executive] Mitch Kupchak into my home to discuss the possibility of my return to the Lakers as head coach,” Jackson said.
“We talked for over an hour and a half. No contractual terms were discussed and we concluded with a handshake and an understanding that I would have until Monday [today] to come back to them with my decision. I did convey to them that I did have the confidence that I could do the job. I was awakened at midnight Sunday by a phone call from Mitch Kupchak. He told me that the Lakers had signed Mike D’Antoni to a three-year agreement and that they felt he was the best coach for the team. The decision is of course theirs to make. I am gratified by the groundswell of support from the Laker fans who encouraged my return and it is the principal reason why I considered the possibility.”
