Phil Jackson in Whitefish

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By KFBB News Team

Story Published: Jun 28, 2010 at 10:52 PM MDT

Story Updated: Jun 28, 2010 at 10:57 PM MDT

Just as he has every off-season for the last 37 years, legendary coach Phil Jackson is trading in the stresses of coaching for the sights of Montana

Fresh off his 11th championship as a coach, Phil Jackson has made his way back to his off-season home of Whitefish, MT to recharge his batteries. And while he normally spends this time preparing for next season - this year he's preparing to make one of the biggest decisions of his life.

Jackson's contract expired at the end of the 2010 season - amidst speculation that he would retire. But less than two weeks removed from what may have been his last game, Jackson is focusing on things other than basketball.

“Thing beyond our control, are changing our environment, but we have to make the changes that will help it along...” said Jackson in regard to the changing Montana landscape.

Speaking from Whitefish at the Western Governors Association meeting, Jackson talked about how living in the west helped shape his life and career.

“This world (the West), always seemed to revolve back to me. And coming back here was always a priority in my life.” said Jackson.

And after he finished his playing career, it was a failed business venture on the Flathead Lake that prompted his career as a coach.

“After a career, 14 years in the NBA; I bought a facility here Kalispell called the 2nd Wind with a partner.” Explained Jackson, “Turned out to be pretty difficult to run as a business in the 80’s, so I opted to go back to coaching and I was successful in that venture.”

And successful he was, as he became the only coach in NBA history to have more championship rings than he has fingers.

“I have two more rings as a player, so 13 (rings) is the actual number,” said Jackson, “Which is a hard number to stop at if you think about it”

So whether or not Jackson does stop at 13 – he wants to make sure that Montana is still a beautiful place to for him and his grand kids to come back to.

“We call this place ‘The Last Best Place’,” Jackson said, “But we don’t know how long it’s going to last. It’s changed so much in my lifetime; I’m a little afraid of what it’s going to be like for the children of my children.”

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