Lisa Bluder, the longtime Iowa women’s basketball coach, has often drawn inspiration from legendary figures in sports. One surprising source? Former Chicago Bulls coach Phil Jackson. As she mentored Caitlin Clark, arguably the most electrifying college basketball player in recent history, Bluder looked to Jackson’s experience coaching Michael Jordan to guide her approach.
Jackson famously balanced Jordan’s fierce competitiveness with mindfulness, team dynamics, and emotional intelligence. Bluder took notes. With Clark’s intensity, deep shooting range, and relentless drive, Bluder knew she needed to channel that fire into leadership and maturity — not just stats.
“Phil talked about getting MJ to trust his teammates, to see the bigger picture,” Bluder once said. “With Caitlin, it was similar. She could take over games, but we wanted her to elevate everyone around her.”
Bluder incorporated team-building exercises, emphasized trust, and helped Clark balance her personal goals with collective success. Over time, Clark transformed from a high-volume scorer into a complete floor general who embraced assists, defense, and off-court leadership.
The results spoke volumes. Clark shattered records, led Iowa to back-to-back national title game appearances, and became a cultural phenomenon. But behind the highlights was a coach using lessons from basketball’s Zen Master to nurture something greater: a legacy built on growth, unity, and belief.
Just like Jackson and MJ, Bluder and Clark found greatness not in domination alone but in evolution.
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