Phil Jackson ‘Significantly Involved’ in Lakers’ Coaching Search, per Report

The former longtime coach won five championships with the franchise.

Since the Lakers fired head Frank Vogel three weeks ago, the team’s front office has embarked on an extensive search to find its next head coach.

As names float around like Bucks assistant Darvin Ham, ESPN analyst Mark Jackson, Michigan’s Juwan Howard and others, a familiar face is helping with the team’s efforts to land the next coach.

Phil Jackson, who coached the Lakers from 1999 to ’04 and ’05 to ’11, won five championships with the franchise. According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Jackson is “significantly involved” in the team’s search committee.

“He’s got a voice in this. He did last time when they hired Frank Vogel. You know, Kurt Rambis [as well],” Wojnarowski said. “They are moving deliberately. They are not doing seven, eight or nine candidates all at once. They are kind of going down a list and taking their time.”

Four-time NBA champion Shaquille O’Neal, who played in Los Angeles from 1996 to ’04, publicly advocated for Mark Jackson last month. “Mark Jackson helped build Golden State before Steve Kerr took it to the next level,” O’Neal told Reuters. “[Jackson] made it a very sexy brand to watch, so I’m sure he can do that with LeBron and [Russell Westbrook].”

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