Shaquille O’Neal Explains Phil Jackson’s Winning Formula When He Joined the Lakers

NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal revealed what Phil Jackson asked to work with him in harmony and take him to the top of the league. ESPN’s ‘The Last Dance’ brought Jackson’s figure back into the spotlight. “The Zen Master” won 11 NBA Championships as a head coach, six with the legendary Chicago Bulls and then five with the Los Angeles Lakers.

The first three championships with the Lakers were in a three-peat with Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant leading the way. O’Neal arrived to Los Angeles in 1996 and in 1999 he was still after his first NBA Championship. The Lakers signed Jackson as their head coach hoping to change that and he had some recommendations for Shaq.

In an interview at Rich Eishen’s show, the five-time NBA champion revealed details about his relationship with Phil Jackson, what it was like to meet him and Jackson’s requests for him:

“He brought a resume. If he says, ‘Do this,’ we all know that he knows what he’s talking about. Because every summer when we’d lose, we’d watch him in the Finals. … When I first met him, he said, ‘Look, if you listen to me, you’ll be MVP. You listen to me, you will win a championship.’ And I said, ‘Cool.’ First thing he said, ‘No more albums, limit your commercials and do everything I say.’ And I agreed, and it was probably the best years that I played. Once we had that formula of how to win, we were just thirsty for more.”