Michael Jordan once made a bold claim that the triangle offense wouldn’t work without him or Kobe Bryant
Michael Jordan and Phil Jackson combined to win six NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls. Jordan also bagged five MVP honors in the process, and the team as a whole, was a dominant force.
Part of the success was the famed triangle offense system Jackson ran with. In simple terms, the play is a fast-paced, precision passing system that allows any players on the floor to open up for a pass or create a shot opportunity.
That helps get past the opponents’ defense and force mistakes. While the system worked perfectly for the Bulls, Jordan was not sold on the fact that it could work unless a star runs the play.
Speaking to GQ in 2007, Jordan explained why he believed that the Triangle Offense would not work without a big name calling the play and used LA Lakers legend Kobe Bryant as an example.
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“The Triangle kept everybody occupied, doing their roles. It gave me opportunities in the post. When I involved John Paxson or Steve Kerr, it was built on the Triangle, but it was also built on my mentality to say, ‘Hey, I’m going to see if this guy can knock down the big shot.’
“If it was Game 7, would I make that pass? Probably not. “In the NBA, you need someone who can break away from the system,” he continued. “The Triangle won’t work without a Michael Jordan or a Kobe Bryant.”
Despite Jordan’s thoughts coming off as rather puzzling, the system worked, as it transformed the Bulls from having the best player in the NBA to becoming a championship team where each player played a pivotal role.
Phil Jackson had to talk Michael Jordan into embracing the Triangle Offense
Former Chicago Bulls assistant Tex Winters revealed in a 1992 interview about how it was tough to get Michael Jordan to buy into the Triangle Offense. Fortunately, Phil Jackson was able to get the five-time MVP to finally embrace the movement.
“I think the better the basketball player is, the more you could expect that they might not necessarily want to accept it because it’s a team concept and involves giving up the ball.
“I think, to Michael Jordan’s credit and Phil Jackson, who sold Michael Jordan on the idea that this is what we had to do to win. … Michael recognized that and went along with it.”
As for Jackson, the Triangle Offene became a blueprint even when he moved on to coach the Lakers and Bryant. The move yielded results again as the Lakers won five titles under his zen coaching.