Phil Jackson has often been careful when asked to name a single best player he ever coached, given that he managed two of the greatest icons in basketball history: Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant. While he frequently praised Jordan's unmatched competitive intensity, massive hand size, and peerless clutch execution during their six titles in Chicago, he also wrote extensively about Kobe Bryant's relentless work ethic, obsessive focus, and remarkable offensive skill set during their five championships in Los Angeles, viewing both players as the absolute pinnacle of basketball greatness.