When it comes to the 1990s Chicago Bulls, Horace Grant is without question one of the most beloved players ever. Recently, Grant was honored by the Bulls in their Ring of Honor ceremony in November.
Altogether, he was the gritting defender and rebounder who was as coachable as they came. Thus, playing a significant role in the Bulls' first three-peat, often in the shadow of Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen.
On Tuesday, Grant shared an untold story about how Phil Jackson coached him when he first became the head coach, per Alex Kirschenbaum of Newsweek. It all started in Jackson when Grant was called into his office to lay out his strategy.
“It's so crazy,” Grant says. “He calls me into his office. He says, ‘Horace, I'm going to ask you to do something that's going to be a little strange, but I need for you to do it.'
“I said, ‘PJ, whatever for the team.‘
“He said, ‘I'm going to yell at you, but I'm yelling at Michael and Scottie.' I'm like, “Make that make sense.'
“He was like, ‘I don't want to get under their skin and they'll lose their thought patterns.'
“I'm like, ‘Okay, I can take it.' I didn't know it was going to be for seven years, you know?” Grant chuckles. “I thought it was going to be [for one season], but it was for seven years! But he and I to this day have a great relationship, PJ. What a wonderful man, just a great leader — not just for basketball players, but for men. He treated us like men out there.”
The strategy worked as the Bulls were off and running from there.
Jackson replaced Doug Collins as the head coach in 1990. The following year, the Bulls won their first NBA title against the Los Angeles Lakers in five games. It marked the passing of the baton from Magic Johnson to Michael Jordan.
As for Grant, he would go on to become an NBA All-Star in 1994 and be selected to four NBA All-Defensive Second Teams.
Plus, he would win four championships in total, three with the Bulls and one with the Lakers in 2001.
