Los Angeles Lakers head coach Phil Jackson will stay in charge for next season, he said on Friday as he ended speculation about his future.
Jackson, who collected a record 10th championship ring when the Lakers beat the Orlando Magic 4-1 in last month’s NBA Finals, made the decision after having several medical tests.
“After consulting with Lakers team internist Dr John Moe, I feel confident that I can gainfully pursue an NBA season with another long playoff post-season,” Jackson said on the Lakers Web site. “All things point to go!”
Jackson, who will turn 64 in September, has had both hips replaced and underwent an angioplasty procedure in 2003 to open a clogged artery in his heart.
Last season, he missed two West Coast road games because of painful swelling in his lower right leg.
But under his astute guidance, the Lakers clinched their 15th championship.
Jackson, whose 10th NBA title eclipsed the record he shared for seven years with Red Auerbach, will embark on a 19th season in the NBA. He won six NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls between 1991 and 1998 before moving to Los Angeles in 1999.
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