{"id":43924,"date":"2025-04-23T12:06:16","date_gmt":"2025-04-23T16:06:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/idolchatter\/?p=43924"},"modified":"2025-04-23T12:06:16","modified_gmt":"2025-04-23T16:06:16","slug":"phil-jackson-blasts-nba-for-scheduling-games-on-sacred-christian-holidays","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/idolchatter\/2025\/04\/phil-jackson-blasts-nba-for-scheduling-games-on-sacred-christian-holidays.html","title":{"rendered":"Phil Jackson Blasts NBA For Scheduling Games on Sacred Christian Holidays"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>
Keith Allison \/ commons.wikimedia.org<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

NBA coaching legend Phil Jackson is calling out the league he once helped dominate, accusing the NBA of showing disregard for Christian religious holidays like Easter and Christmas.<\/p>\n

In a rare social media post on Easter Sunday, the 11-time championship coach and two-time NBA champion as a player expressed his disappointment with the league’s scheduling decisions. That day, four playoff games were held as part of the NBA’s first-round matchups.<\/p>\n

“Again, the NBA tests faith by playing multiple games on Christmas and Easter\u2026 sacred days,” Jackson wrote on X (formerly Twitter).<\/p>\n

The comment, coming from a figure known for his reflective, often spiritual perspective, struck a chord with many fans who also felt that sports should respect the significance of Christian holidays. Jackson, who was raised in a devout Pentecostal household and is known for incorporating mindfulness and spiritual discipline into his coaching philosophy, has long held a deeper view of life beyond the basketball court.<\/p>\n

Though Jackson has largely stayed off social media\u2014this was his first post in over a year\u2014his criticism of the NBA is nothing new. In 2023, he revealed that he had stopped watching NBA games altogether, citing concerns about the increasing politicization of the sport, particularly during the league’s pandemic “bubble” in Orlando.<\/p>\n

“They had things on their backs like ‘Justice.’ I made a little funny thing like, ‘Justice just went to the basket, and Equal Opportunity just knocked him down,'” he told producer Rick Rubin on the Tetragrammaton<\/em> podcast.<\/p>\n

Jackson was referencing the league’s decision to allow players to wear social justice slogans on their jerseys\u2014a move that, while applauded by some, turned off fans who preferred sports as a space of unity, not division.<\/p>\n

“They didn’t know it was turning other people off,” he added. “People want to see sports as non-political.”<\/p>\n

His Easter post rekindled that same sentiment, suggesting that the NBA is once again overlooking the spiritual rhythms that matter to millions of Americans\u2014Christian or otherwise. For Jackson, scheduling games on Christmas and Easter isn’t just a programming issue. It’s a deeper reflection of shifting priorities in the culture of professional sports.<\/p>\n

This year, the NBA isn’t alone. The NFL has also leaned into holiday scheduling. Following successful Christmas Day matchups in 2023, the NFL announced three games would air on the holiday again this year, including on streaming platforms like Netflix.<\/p>\n

While the NFL and NBA battle for ratings, voices like Jackson’s are reminding the world that some dates carry more meaning than market value.<\/p>\n

His post stirred a conversation among Christian fans and athletes alike. Many feel that sports networks are increasingly treating sacred days as just another opportunity to capitalize on audience attention, ignoring the spiritual significance they still hold for millions.<\/p>\n

For a man whose coaching philosophy famously blended Native American traditions, Zen Buddhism, and Christian influences, Jackson’s remarks reflect a longing for deeper respect\u2014for both faith and focus.<\/p>\n

As Christians around the world continue to celebrate Easter as the resurrection of Jesus Christ, Jackson’s words serve as a quiet but firm call for reflection\u2014especially in a culture that too often rushes past what’s sacred.<\/p>\n

“Sports can inspire, unite, and uplift,” one user replied to his post, “but not when they trample over what’s holy.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

NBA coaching legend Phil Jackson is calling out the league he once helped dominate, accusing the NBA of showing disregard for Christian religious holidays like Easter and Christmas. In a rare social media post on Easter Sunday, the 11-time championship coach and two-time NBA champion as a player expressed his disappointment with the league’s scheduling…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":516,"featured_media":43927,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fbia_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-43924","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-television"],"yoast_head":"\nPhil Jackson Blasts NBA For Scheduling Games on Sacred Christian Holidays<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Phil Jackson calls out the NBA for scheduling games on Easter and Christmas, urging respect for sacred holidays over ratings and revenue.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" 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