Basketball 101 with Phil Jackson

L.A. Downtown News: While many Los Angeles basketball fans bleed purple and gold, there are two things that confuse even some diehard Laker lovers. A fair number still have a hard time figuring out a) what the vaunted triangle offense actually entails, and b) what Zen cryptic coach Phil Jackson really means when he speaks.

This Wednesday Phil Jackson will detail the offense that guided the Lakers to three NBA titles.

Downtown Los Angeles audiences will get the opportunity to discern both of those in one fell swoop, make that one fell swish, on Wednesday, Oct. 19, when the Los Angeles Sports & Entertainment Commission (LASEC) hosts Basketball 101. The high profile confab boasts an assortment of Laker luminaries, as well as some unique bells and whistles, starting with the chance to shoot free throws on the court where Shaquille O’Neal used to clunk them.

Basketball 101 began last year when Kathy Schloessman, president of the LASEC, approached Jeannie Buss, executive vice president of the team and daughter of owner Jerry Buss, about creating a Lakers themed event along the lines of the LASEC’s Football 101 tutorial, which takes place in Hollywood before the NFL season begins.

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