LOS ANGELES--Give Los Angeles Lakers head coach and former North Dakota All-American Phil Jackson a hand. He's going to need another one to display all of his NBA championship rings.

The most decorated coach in NBA history, who played at UND from 1965-67, won his 11th NBA title as a head coach tonight, guiding the Lakers to an 83-79 Game Seven victory over the Boston Celtics. It is the second straight championship for Jackson and the Lakers.

Jackson not only extended his own record for most championships as a head coach, but also won his 225th career playoff game, the most by a head coach in North American professional sports history.

Jackson, originally from Williston, N.D., has never lost an NBA Finals series, claiming five championships with the Lakers and six with the Chicago Bulls. He also won a pair of NBA titles as a player with the New York Knicks in 1970 and 1973.

A two-time All-American (1967, 1966) at UND under future NBA coaching legend Bill Fitch, Jackson graduated in 1967 after averaging 19.9 points in 86 career games. His 27.4 points per game as a senior in 1966-67 remains a school record. He is just one of three Fighting Sioux to have pulled down 1,000 career rebounds, finishing his collegiate career with 1,109.

Jackson was drafted by the Knicks in the second round, 17th overall, of the 1967 NBA draft and went on to enjoy a 12-year playing career with the Knicks and New Jersey Nets.

Jackson is the second former UND All-American this month to win a major professional sports championship. Earlier in June, former men's hockey standout Jonathan Toews captained the Chicago Blackhawks to their first Stanley Cup Championship in 49 years.

~Go Sioux~