Jalen Rose has fired back at Phil Jackson over the legendary former coach’s comments about the NBA.
Last week, on a podcast with iconic music producer Rick Rubin, Jackson spoke about becoming disenchanted with the NBA due to their social justice initiatives during the 2020 playoffs in the bubble that included slogans on the backs of jerseys and writing Black Lives Matter on the court.
Rose, an NBA analyst on ESPN and Post columnist who hosts the “Renaissance Man” podcast, was sharply critical of what Jackson said in a video that he posted on Twitter on Sunday.
“You can’t make this up,” Rose said.
After summarizing Jackson’s remarks, Rose continued, “The same Phil Jackson that won championships with some of the greatest black athletes in the history of the game — Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant. Made millions off their back and their sweat equity.”
Rose implored Jackson to stay away from watching the sport.
“You’re sitting there watching games with your grandkids and y’all think it’s funny when justice passes the ball to equal opportunity?” Rose asked. “When somebody shows you who you are, believe them, so stop watching — forever.”
Jackson, 77, won two NBA championships as a player on the Knicks and won 11 as a head coach of the Bulls and Lakers.
On the podcast with Rubin, he spoke about why he was getting less joy out of the game.
“I am not enjoying the game,” Jackson said.
“There’s a whole generation that doesn’t like the game.”
Phil Jackson at the 2017 NBA Draft Combine. NBAE via Getty Images
ESPN NBA analyst Jalen Rose fired back at Phil Jackson after the 13-time NBA champion said he was turned off by the league’s social justice initiatives during the 2020 playoff bubble. Twitter / Jalen Rose
He poked fun at the slogans on the backs of jerseys in the wake of George Floyd’s death.
“They did something that was kind of wanky, they did a bubble down in Orlando, and all the teams that could qualify went down there and stayed down there,” Jackson said.
“And they had things on their back like, ‘Justice.’ They made a funny thing like, ‘Justice just went to the basket and Equal Opportunity just knocked him down.’ … My grandkids thought that was pretty funny to play up those names. …I couldn’t watch that.”
Jackson was last in the league in 2017 when he and the Knicks parted ways after a failed three-year run as team president.