The Last Season

    

  
The Last season, A Team in Search of a Soul, is written by the Nine-time NBA champion coach Phil Jackson  who is known as one of the best coaches in the history of the NBA. He has been able to lead two teams to multiple NBA championships. In this auto biography of what Phil Jackson thinks will be his final season coaching. The Lakers 2003-2004 team was loaded with star talent but the question was would they have the chemistry to achieve their goal of winning another NBA championship...

The Story starts with NBA free agency where the Lakers were able to sign future Hall-of-Famers Karl Malone and Gary Payton. Jackson believes these two players are the final pieces of the puzzle. Until Kobe decides to physically assault a maid in Colorado. Kobe ends up spends most of the season side tracked with court hearings. He is able though to make it to the all of the games but everyone can tell that Kobe Bryant just isn’t the same.

Phil Jackson says that he wanted to trade Kobe right when he got the news. Kobe would still have trade value and they would be able to acquire players with less "off-court" distractions in return. This though did not happen because The Owner Jerry Buss is betrayed as a real jerk. Making money is his main priority and if Kobe makes him money then he is not going to trade him. Mr. Buss makes Mitch Kupchak, the General Manager, baby Kobe because he’s a free agent and a future star that they can’t lose. Kobe with his enormous ego causes many team conflicts, fights with Shaq, and overall probably causes the season to become a fail. Jackson also gives insight on the Media circus of Shaq and Kobe. Where they seemed to never get along and took it out on each other in the media.

Jackson’s book is interesting because it tells of the drama that goes on during an NBA season. The inside accounts of games and players teach that the "NBA Life" isn't that great. It's not all fun and games like we tend to believe. If your not a fan of basketball then this book really isn't for you but... if you want to remember why you hate basketball you might just like it. Also, there is also a lot of swearing when players especially Kobe Bryant are directly quoted. Kobe seems to enjoy saying swear words when it really isn't necessary. Overall this book is a good read. Learning about the NBA from someone who experienced it first person makes it even better. A-