Air, Hair … Despair? Bulls Coach Phil Jackson Has His Hands Full With Jordan, Rodman And Pippen

Competitive and stubborn, Michael Jordan believes his way is the only way the team can succeed. Scottie Pippen, the classic “second fiddle,” never has felt fully appreciated.

Toni Kukoc is troubled about an unwanted shift to sixth man. Laid-back Luc Longley has lacked the drive to reach his potential. Ron Harper, last season’s free-agent bust, has a serious self-esteem deficiency.

Now Dennis Rodman is in town.

“It’s quite a cast of characters,” says Phil Jackson, part-time Zen practitioner, part-time shrink and full-time coach of the Chicago Bulls. “It’s always interesting around here.”

And it’s why Jordan thinks Jackson “has the toughest job of all.”

Mercurial, mischievous and sometimes mysterious, Rodman covers himself with tattoos, pierces body parts to display jewelry, and wears his hair in outrageous colors. A gifted rebounder who helped Detroit to two NBA titles, he undermined San Antonio’s championship aspirations last season by failing to abide by even rudimentary team rules - like attending practices.

“I haven’t been able to justify everything Dennis did,” Jackson says. “But I played in the NBA and I know you get caught up sometimes and get fired up emotionally.”

Only time will tell if shy Dennis Rodman is the solution to the Bulls’ rebounding problem or the biggest headache of Jackson’s career.

“One of Phil’s strong points is player relationships,” says Jordan, who from 1991-93 led Jackson’s Bulls to three straight NBA titles. “I think this is something he’s taken on as a challenge, especially with Rodman.”

But how do you coach Dennis Rodman, who has been labeled uncoachable? How do you instruct Michael Jordan, who is to basketball what Michelangelo was to painting? How can you satisfy Scottie Pippen? How can you motivate Toni Kukoc for a role he hates?

“If anyone can do it,” Jordan says, “Phil can.”

Jackson believes he understands Rodman, saying “I was known as a bit of an individual myself.”

A child of the 1960s who was considered a free spirit when he played with the New York Knicks, Jackson revealed in his first book, “Maverick,” that he experimented with drugs. He’s also a believer in Zen, a sect of Buddhism that teaches self-discipline, meditation and attainment of enlightenment by means of non-logical statements.

His latest book, “Sacred Hoops: Spiritual Lessons of a Hardwood Warrior,” just came out last week.

In the book, Jackson tells about a

team meditation session: “Michael thought I was joking. Midway through one session, he cocked one eye open and took a glance around the room to see if any of his teammates were actually doing it. To his surprise, many of them were.”

Though Jordan hasn’t bought into Jackson’s spiritual ways, he has come to respect Jackson as a coach and person. During the weeks of speculation that preceded Jordan’s decision to come out of retirement last March, Jordan reportedly insisted that owner Jerry Reinsdorf “take care of Phil.”

Jackson, 50, in the final season of his contract, is confident that he will remain in the only NBA head coaching job he has ever had.

Last season was difficult for Jackson. Jordan was playing baseball, John Paxson retired and free agency claimed Horace Grant, Bill Cartwright and Scott Williams. The team struggled and Jackson often looked tired. After one sloppy loss, he said the fans deserved refunds.

Then Jordan came back.

The Bulls finished strongly and almost upset the Orlando Magic in the playoffs. In the off-season, they acquired Rodman. And this preseason, Jordan and Pippen have looked as sharp as ever.

“Last year, we saw how close we were. In the end, there was a sense of renewal,” Jackson says. “I’m very excited about this season.”