Sacred Hoops: Spiritual Lessons of a Hardwood Warrior [Paperback]

Phil Jackson (Author)

Book Description

Release date: October 17, 2006

With a new introduction, Phil Jackson's modern classic of motivation, teamwork, and Zen insight is updated for a whole new readership

"Not only is there more to life than basketball, there's a lot more to basketball than basketball." --Phil Jackson

Eleven years ago, when Phil Jackson first wrote these words in Sacred Hoops, he was the triumphant head coach of the Chicago Bulls, known for his Zen approach to the game. He hadnt yet moved to the Los Angeles Lakers, with whom he would bring his total to an astounding nine NBA titles. In his thought-provoking memoir, he revealed how he directs his players to act with a clear mind -- not thinking, just doing; to respect the enemy and be aggressive without anger or violence; to live in the moment and stay calmly focused in the midst of chaos; to put the "me" in service of the "we" -- all lessons applicable to any person's life, not just a professional basketball player's. This inspiring book went on to sell more than 400,000 copies.

In his new introduction, Jackson explains how the concepts in Sacred Hoops are relevant to the issues facing his current team -- and today's reader.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

An inside look at the higher wisdom of teamwork from Chicago Bulls' head coach Phil Jackson. At the heart of the book is Jackson's philosophy of mindful basketball -- and his lifelong quest to bring enlightenment to the competitive world of professional sports, beginning with a focus on selfless team play rather than "winning through intimidation". Sacred Hoops is not just for sports fans, but for anyone interested in the potential of the human spirit. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

Considered a maverick for his unorthodox coaching methods, Jackson demonstrates how he adapts the precepts of Zen Buddhism, the ways of the Lakota Sioux, and other alternative styles to the task of coaching the National Basketball Association's Chicago Bulls. They range from group meditation sessions, to hanging Lakota warrior items on the locker room shelf, to splicing segments of the movie Wizard of Oz into game films to make a point. Perhaps of greater interest to fans are his reactions to the return of Michael Jordan, following Jordan's retirement, and his take on an incident in which one of his players refused to reenter a playoff game during its final moments. Chicago Bulls fans, in particular, should take interest in this inside view. For regional and large public libraries.
William H. Hoffman, Ft. Myers-Lee Cty. P.L., Fla.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Hyperion; Reissue edition (October 17, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1401308813
• ISBN-13: 978-1401308810
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.6 x 8.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (92 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,764 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #13 in Books > Sports & Outdoors > Basketball
  • #48 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > Sports & Outdoors

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

44 of 48 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A new way to understand team spirit August 14, 1997

By A Customer

Format:Hardcover

I picked up this book in an airport bookstore only because I love basketball and I have been a Michael Jordan fan since he was in high school. I LOVED it. Sacred Hoops helped me really understand and appreciate why the Bull's, and other teams that build on a similar philosophy, have a special magic. It also helped me see how this philosophy can be used to improve and enhance any endeavor that requires teamwork. I will be reading this book again to be reinspired. I loaned the book to my 75-year old mother. She bought additional copies to give to friends and bought it for the local library. Then she lent it to my 15-year old niece, who plays high school hoops. My niece commented that her coach must have read the book half-way through last season because he suddenly changed his coaching style to be similar to Jackson's. My niece passed it on to her mother, a mother of 4 with a black belt in karate. Her mother immediately went out and bought two books Jackson recommends, commenting that she imagined anything he recommended would be worth reading. When the book returned to me, my husband (who is, no kidding, a rocket scientist) decided to read it to see what all the fuss was about. He has now passed it on to an Italian colleague who says, wow this is good. Never have a seen such a wide range of people, in interests and ages, respond so strongly and positively to a book. This is a book that can enhance your life, no matter what you do

25 of 27 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Sacred Hoops was very refreshing and thought-provoking. January 19, 1999

By Michael Dickens

Format:Paperback

In lieu of the recent NBA lockout and the subsequent retirement of its premier star attraction, Michael Jordan, reading Sacred Hoops, brilliantly written by former Bulls' coach Phil Jackson, provides a very refreshing and thought-provoking look into the money-driven and often soulessness world of professional basketball. The book takes a wonderful look into the mind of Jackson, raised by Pentacostal parents in Montana, who later became enlightened by Zen and Native American principles during his playing career with the New York Knicks and early coaching stints in Albany, N.Y. and Puerto Rico. Jackson's higher wisdom of teamwork - his philosophy of preaching the expression of the power of mindfulness and compassion in action - became a paradigm for his success in guiding the Bulls to six NBA championships in the 1990s (the paperback edition chronicles through the 1995-96 season). The book also serves as an insightful memoir full of stories about Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Toni Kukoc and Dennis Rodman. For devotees of Jordan, Sacred Hoops serves as a nice complement to other books written about him and shows how Jackson instilled in Jordan - and his teammates - the ability to act with a clear mind and stay calmly focused at all times; how he changed the Bulls into a team that served the "we" instead of "me". Sacred Hoops is an inspiring book - one which you won't want to put down.

24 of 26 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Spirituality does apply to the world of glitz and glamor December 10, 2000

By David

Format:Paperback

I am not now, nor have I ever been, a fan of basketball. But it is at least a sport that I can appreciate, which is more than I can say for American football. Nevertheless, this book is not really about basketball-it's about spirituality and selflessness through basketball. The author is Phil Jackson, formerly of the New York Knicks (and colleague of Bill Bradley) and, later, coach of the Chicago Bulls - the only coach in NBA history to pull of twin "three-peats" - three consecutive NBA Championships, not once but twice. Under Jackson's guidance and the leadership of Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Bill Cartwright, and others, the Bulls became the best basketball team in the world.

But Jackson is not focused solely on success for the sake of success. He recounts his fundamentalist upbringing, his forays into Zen Buddhism and Lakota spirituality, and his efforts to bring ideas of oneness and attunement and selfless play into an NBA dominated by ego, money, cynicism, and media hype. He describes the esoteric "triangle offense" that was based on those philosophical principles.

I was very impressed by this book. It takes many of the principles I've learned in other places and applies it directly to something that I would normally not think of as spiritual. Moreover, Jackson and his Bulls are a powerful and very prevalent example of how spiritual principles can be applied in the real world and made into a success.

Plus, there's a foreword by ex-Senator and ex-Knick Bill Bradley, and numerous stories about Jackson playing with the Knicks and coaching basketball greats. Though I'm not a basketball fan, the magnetism of personalities still fascinates me, and these personal anecdotes only add depth to the lessons Jackson conveys.