What moves me is watching young men bond together and tap into the magic that arises when they focus — with their whole heart and soul — on something greater than themselves. Once you’ve experienced that, it’s something you never forget.
-- Phil Jackson (Chapter 1, The Circle of Love paragraph 4)

Importance: This quote almost summarizes the gist of Jackson’s book. His focus is on the ways that he has worked to help the members of the teams he has coached — the Lakers and the Bulls — mature and work together.

But what I do know is that the art of transforming a group of young, ambitious individuals into an integrated championship team is not a mechanistic process. It’s a mysterious juggling act that requires not only a thorough knowledge of the time-honored laws of the game but also an open heart, a clear mind, and a deep curiosity about the ways of the human spirit.
-- Phil Jackson (Chapter 1, The Circle of Love paragraph 38)

Importance: In this quote, Jackson...