“I believe in him” – Michael Jordan on the Knicks naming Phil Jackson as team president in 2013 originally appeared on Basketball Network.
Phil Jackson’s 2013 return to the NBA as New York Knicks team president was a major story — big enough to draw a rare public comment from Michael Jordan.
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Speaking to ESPN, the Chicago Bulls legend said his former head coach — with whom he won six titles — was the right man to lead the Knicks back to glory. It was a seal of approval from the greatest player in league history.
“I believe in him, and I’m confident anything he (Jackson) does will work eventually,” Jordan told Stephen A. Smith shortly after the announcement.
Jackson’s Knicks challenge
Freshly crowned team president, Jackson joined the Knicks — the team he played for from 1967 to 1978 — as a certified legend. There was a catch though: his legendary status came almost entirely from his unmatched coaching career — 11 championships, more than anyone in league history — not from front office experience.
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While the Montana native had some influence over roster moves with his former teams, he had never worked as an executive. Was that a problem for his new role? Many thought so. Jordan, who played nine seasons under Jackson with the Bulls, did not.
“Just because he’s never been an executive before doesn’t mean he can’t do that,” said His Airness. “He’s wanted to do it for a while now, and I know he can do it.”
Mike pointed to two keys for Phil’s success: having the “necessary pieces in place” and maintaining the steady, composed leadership — the Zen Master’s trademark — he had shown in Chicago and Los Angeles.
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“Phil is fantastic at managing egos and personalities, getting everyone on the same page and maxing out whatever potential is there for what should be the common and ultimate goal,” remarked MJ.
Rocky NBA executive path
It can’t be overstated that being the most decorated head coach in the history of the NBA doesn’t guarantee front office success. The same goes for outstanding former players — Jordan himself is a prime example.
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His stints running both the Washington Wizards and Charlotte Hornets (formerly Bobcats) were well below his on-court brilliance, and poor performances on their own, really. It’s a tough adjustment, yet His Airness believed the Zen Master would quickly find his footing in the front office.
“Phil is great,” the basketball icon said. “He’s very smart. He’ll figure out pretty quickly what needs to get done”.
Jordan even offered his support, saying Jackson “will have plenty of guys in the league willing to help him, myself included.”
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However, as the Bobcats’ majority owner at the time, Mike made it clear that no trades would be made merely to ease Phil’s transition.
“None of us will be willing to give up great players or draft picks to do that,” remarked Jordan, a five-time MVP. “That’s the part of the job all of us have found pretty difficult, me included. But I wish him luck.”
Ultimately, “luck” was exactly what the Zen Master needed — and not a little of it. After all, the Knicks hadn’t reached the Eastern Conference Finals since 2000 and were steadily sinking into mediocrity.
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Unfortunately for Jackson, he couldn’t reverse the trend. During his time as team president from 2014 to 2017, New York missed postseason basketball every single year.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Aug 11, 2025, where it first appeared.