Eleven Rings: The Soul of Success (34 page)

To the victors goes the bling:
Showing off the trophies in Chicago’s Grant Park after winning our sixth NBA title, with (
from left
) Toni Kukoc, Ron Harper, Dennis Rodman, Pippen, Jordan, Mayor Richard M. Daley, and Governor James Edgar.

Bulls totems:
I had this group of portraits done by Chicago artist Tim Anderson after we won our first three-peat. It includes everyone who played on all three teams during that run, plus yours truly.
(From top)
Jordan, Bill Cartwright, Pippen, Grant, Paxson, B. J. Armstrong, Scott Williams, Stacey King, and Will Perdue.

These portraits, also done by Anderson, feature the players on all three teams of the second three-peat run. (
From top
) Jordan, Pippen, Rodman, Harper, Luc Longley, Kukoc, Steve Kerr, Bill Wennington, Jud Buechler, and Randy Brown.

Three’s the dream:
With Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe after winning the Lakers’ third consecutive title in 2002 against the Nets in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

The short goodbye:
I invited (
from left
) Charley, Ben, Brooke, and Chelsea to this press conference after the 2004 finals because I thought it was going to be my last as the Lakers’ coach. To my surprise, a year later I was back.

Passing fancy:
Kobe dishes off to a surprised Shaq during game 1 of the 2001 championship finals against the Philadelphia 76ers in L.A.

Top chef:
Preparing Christmas dinner with Brooke at my home in Playa del Rey, Calif.

My fiancee:
Jeanie Buss and me at Chelsea’s wedding in Montana in 2007.

Group hug:
The players surround Robert Horry (
center
) after he hit one of his “magic” three-pointers to win game 4 of the Western Conference finals against the Sacramento Kings in LA.

Pregame prep:
Showing Pau Gasol and Adam Morrison a defensive assignment before game 4 of the Western Conference finals at Denver’s Pepsi Center in 2009.

The LA brain trust:
In my custom-designed chair with (
in front row, from left
) Brian Shaw, Kurt Rambis, Frank Hamblen, and Gary Vitti.
Back row:
Rasheed Hazzard (
left
), Dr. Steve Lombardo, Chip Schaefer, and Cleamons.