Phil Jackson had no shortage of criticism during his time as the president of the New York Knicks. During his tenure from 2014-2017, those decisions were extremely inflammatory. As a Hall of Famer, Jackson is revered for the role he played in guiding NBA superstars like Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal and Michael Jordan to championships and beyond. Now, he hopes to do the same in New York. His fierce, hyper-competitive desire to build a championship contender with the Knicks created widespread animosity, first with his clashes with star player Carmelo Anthony. Ironically, this conflict led to a chaotic departure from the franchise.
Jackson’s tenure started off on the right foot, he soon had to deal with the fact he had inherited a rebuilding team. He walked into a bustling front office with ambitious plans of his own, looking to make Charlotte a championship contender. As each season passed, he became angrier over the roster’s short supply of talent. By February 2011, the Knicks had dealt for Anthony, who was considered a cornerstone of their future. Five years later in 2017, Jackson’s vision had changed radically.
Fulfilling his claim to be a progressive independent, Jackson’s frustration with Anthony was palpable. He went on to air his scathing views on the forward to reporters and on Twitter. Needless to say, fans reacted with immediate anger to these comments. Their revolution was led with a more forceful condemnation by the then-executive director of the players’ union. Jackson reluctantly admitted that his relationship with Anthony had soured. I think my relationship with Carmelo is pretty messed up, unfortunately. If he’s gonna be here, probably better off that I go.
Jackson’s growing frustration eventually came to a head in a well-publicized discussion with team owner James Dolan. He apparently quite adamantly declared that either he or Anthony needed to be forced out of the organization. I don’t want Carmelo back on the team; we’ve got to find a way to trade him,” he announced. Jackson even met with Anthony’s agent, Leon Rose, to communicate that the team was not on a path to winning a championship.
The unsettlement didn’t just play out in his relationships on the team, it had personal consequences for Jackson. His NBA surrogate father-son dynamic with Carmelo Anthony soured his personal relationship with Jeanie Buss in the process. Jackson later reflected on this impact, saying, “She got pressure from the league because they worried about the idea of collusion that could happen between an owner and a president.”
Despite his efforts to reshape the team and his attempts at personnel changes, including hiring Derek Fisher as coach—a decision he later deemed a mistake—Jackson could not steer the Knicks toward success. The franchise ultimately chose not to buy out Anthony’s contract, prompting Jackson’s exit from the organization in June 2017.
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