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"Just don't drink the water" - When Phil Jackson got into beef with the city of New Orleans
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- "Just don't drink the water" - When Phil Jackson got into beef with the city of New Orleans
The NBA has seen its fair share of rivalries, but few were as unusual as the brief and frosty standoff between Los Angeles Lakers head coach Phil Jackson and the city of New Orleans. It may be water under the bridge now, but back in the 2011 playoffs, it was quite a hot subject of discussion.
The drama hit its boiling point in the middle of the Lakers' first-round playoff duel with the New Orleans Hornets . It was a showdown that was supposed to be about whether Chris Paul and the Hornets could stand a chance against the defending champions. Still, it somehow pivoted toward municipal water quality and local journalism, apparently, because of Jackson.
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Before Game 3, when pressed by the media for his thoughts on NOLA, the Zen Master declined to share anything and instead stated , "I refuse to comment on the grounds that I might incriminate myself." Then came the kicker, "Just don't drink the water."
While Phil likely meant it as a playful jab, the local media took it as a personal affront to their culture. They viewed Jackson's comment as quite discriminatory.
Phil said he loved coming to NOLA
More often than not, Jackson doesn't really spend time and energy on petty grievances of local beat writers and reporters. As a man known for his mindfulness, Phil usually doesn't dwell on tabloid headlines.
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However, the tension in New Orleans eventually got under even the 11-time champion coach's thick skin. Ahead of Game 6, after wrapping up his standard pre-game media conference, Jackson scanned the group of reporters in front of him and firmly asked, "Anybody here from The Times-Picayune?"
Jackson wanted to know, as he had caught wind of a headline from the newspaper that had been circulating at the time. The front page featured Phil's image with the title: "Why Does He Hate Us?"
The piece strongly suggested that Jackson harbored some deep-seated disdain for NOLA or its people. For Phil, the implication of discrimination didn't sit well. He took a moment to clarify his remarks and argue that the narrative had spiraled out of control.
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"What's that about?" Jackson said. "If I was a politician, I'd feel really bad. That's the kind of thing that gets us in problems. I was vilified."
The coach added, "I love coming here," and said he would like to come back for the New Orleans Jazz Fest.
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Phil never had to deal with New Orleans again
Ultimately, the feud between Jackson and the city of New Orleans eventually ended, but not with a handshake. The Lakers took care of business, eliminating the Hornets in six games.
The victory spared the Zen Master from any further interrogation by the New Orleans press. Unfortunately for the Lakers, they were knocked out by the eventual champions, the Dallas Mavericks , in the second round.
Jackson then followed through on his plans to retire. He called it quits after the Lakers' postseason concluded. For most NBA aficionados, the Zen Master left the game as arguably the greatest coach in NBA history. However, it's hard to tell if New Orleans locals felt the same way about him.
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This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Mar 28, 2026, where it first appeared in the Off The Court section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
