**Phil Jackson’s Shocking Revelation About His Failed Relationship with Carmelo Anthony**
Phil Jackson brought hope to New York Knicks fans when the franchise hired him as president in 2014. However, controversy quickly surrounded the team as friction between Jackson and star player Carmelo Anthony became public.
In his upcoming book, *Masters of the Game: A Conversational History of the NBA in 75 Legendary Players*, Jackson details the reasons behind his broken relationship with Melo and how it negatively impacted the Knicks.
Jackson wanted the team to implement the triangle offense and emphasize ball movement. However, then-Knicks coach Jeff Hornacek informed Jackson that Anthony preferred having the ball in his hands.
Defending his position, Jackson also shared a revealing conversation with former Denver Nuggets coach George Karl, who coached Anthony earlier in his career. Karl told Jackson that during the 2009 Western Conference Finals against Kobe Bryant’s Lakers, Anthony was focused on being the top scorer.
Jackson quoted Karl:
“‘Kobe’s going to get his 30 points and we’ll deal with that; shut down everybody else.’ Carmelo interjected, ‘No, I disagree with that. We’ve got to defend Kobe first. We’ve got to throw everything at him.’”
When Karl asked why, Carmelo reportedly said he wanted to be the top scorer.
Melo has often been blamed for negatively affecting the careers of his Knicks teammate Jeremy Lin and former coach Mike D’Antoni. Reflecting on his time with Carmelo in New York, Jackson wrote, *“After being with Carmelo in New York, I knew,”* confirming his stance on the issue.
Jackson also revealed a critical conversation with Knicks owner James Dolan. He told Dolan that due to his strained relationship with Anthony, one of them had to leave—and he believed it was best if he himself departed.
In June 2017, Phil Jackson left the Knicks after the team declined to buy out Carmelo Anthony’s contract. Anthony had refused to waive his no-trade clause. A few months later, in September 2017, Anthony was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
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### Phil Jackson Reveals the Stunning Reason Behind His Broken Engagement with Jeanie Buss
Phil Jackson’s challenges extended beyond the court. In 2012, he got engaged to then-LA Lakers owner Jeanie Buss. A year later, Jackson took the position as president of the New York Knicks. Two years after that, the couple surprised the NBA world by announcing their separation.
In their joint statement, they cited “geographical distance” as the reason for parting ways.
In his book, Jackson reveals more about the strain the Knicks job put on their relationship. He wrote about a conversation with Buss when he was first offered the Knicks role:
*“I warned her, ‘I don’t think our relationship can survive this. I’m not going to take this job,’”* Jackson recalled.
Although Buss reassured him that they would be fine, Jackson disclosed another significant factor that contributed to their breakup: pressure from the league. “She got pressure from the league because they worried about the idea of collusion that could happen between an owner and a president,” he wrote.
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Phil Jackson had signed a $60 million contract in 2014 to lead the Knicks’ front office, a tenure marked by high expectations but ultimately marred by internal conflict and controversy.
https://www.sportskeeda.com/basketball/news-relationship-carmelo-kind-busted-phil-jackson-does-not-mince-words-about-carmelo-anthony-s-negative-impact-knicks
