?The Smartest Player on the Team?: Phil Jackson?s ?Favorite? Was Not Michael Jordan or Scottie Pippen

Phil Jackson has created one of the most dazzling legacies in NBA history with multiple franchises in the league. Not only did he win six NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls, but he also coached two all-time great players in Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen. However, the veteran coach had a soft spot in his haert for one of the role players on the Bulls roster, whom he referred to as his ‘favorite’ player.

Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen mostly handled things on both sides of the floor for the Bulls. Jordan was the main guy on offense and Pippen led the team on the defensive side of the floor. But despite having two greats on his team, Phil Jackson like Ed Nealy the most in the team for a distinctive reason.

What made Phil Jackson favor Ed Nealy

Not a lot of readers may not know this, but Ed Nealy played for the Chicago Bulls only for one season. However, he still ended up becoming Phil Jackson?s favorite player. Ed Nealy did not have anything out of the ordinary in his game.

But he was Jackson?s favorite because he was the smartest player on the team. Sam Smith?s book, ?Jordan Rules? covered this story following game 3 of the 1990 Eastern Conference Finals against the Detroit Pistons. Jackson labeled him, “His favorite player,[and] the smartest player on the team.”

As it turns out, Michael Jordan ended the game with 47 points and 10 rebounds. Scottie Pippen had 29 points and 11 rebounds for the game. Nealy, on the other hand, had a mere 8 points in the 22 minutes he played off the bench.

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But the reason why Phil Jackson loved Ed Nealy so much was that he was a coach disguised as a player on the Bulls team. Jackson once said, ?He?s like another coach for us. He?s a great example for our bench.

“It?s guys like Ed who make coaching a pleasure. If you give me a reason to put him into a game, he?s going to find a way to contribute,? he added. Nealy’s sharp basketball IQ made him an asset on the floor and reduced Jackson’s workload. As a result, the former Bulls head coach liked Ed Nealy.

Michael Jordan already was the team leader

Any coach likes a superstar player on their team. Someone who can score a bunch of points and come through in clutch game situations. Jackson already had Jordan for that. But Nealy helped him in regard to the rest of the team.

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Not just that, Jackson appreciated Nealy for the effort he put in at team practices, guiding young rookies and helping out any way he could. Veterans usually help out the rookies here and there but Nealy went a step further in extending a helping hand.

Did Jackson’s pick for favorite player surprise you? Comment down below.