Phil Jackson's underrated fashion style was cleverly thought of: "I want to look like I mean business"

While Phil Jackson is known as one of the greatest coaches in the history of basketball, one aspect of his gameday appearance was only noticed by those with a keen attention to detail.

As detailed as Phil was regarding his X's and O's, the Zen Master didn't leave anything to chance regarding his gameday outfits. Jackson would often be seen donning his stylish suits despite the rigid conditions during games. He admitted he was conscious of his image, especially when TV cameras focused on him.

"I want to look like I mean business. It's a game. Yet we're not wild and wacky," Jackson explained via UPI in 1992.

Keeping his feet on the ground

A coach has to make some sacrifices to be stylish. One is dealing with sweat, especially if the arena temperature is too hot.

Splitting pants or slipping on the floor are also possibilities. But Jackson had it covered. He once revealed that the secret to avoiding slips was his preference to wear Italian loafers.

"I've also seen coaches fall down. That's why I like Italian loafer, so I can feel the floor. They're the closest thing to basketball sneakers," the Zen Master quipped.

Related: "I think only Phil Jackson could've worked with that group" - Kukoc opens up about his experience on the '90s Bulls

Michael Jordan was the most stylish Bulls player

With Jackson placing a premium on being stylish, the Chicago Bulls coach also kept tabs on his players' fashion sense. There was no question that Michael Jordan was the fashion leader of that team.

David Wood, a former teammate, attested to that. He pointed out that Jordan rarely wore the same wardrobe twice.

"He always dressed amazing. They said they never saw him repeat clothes. He wore new clothes every day," the 6-foot-9 player said on Sports Bytes Philippines.

Being the big star that he was, Jordan was a target for top brands such as Burdi Clothing. They wanted Michael to wear their clothing line, which included sweaters, shirts, and polos, although they had to do some convincing. This was because Jordan had bad experiences with tailors.

"He was not expecting much, but he went to the fitting room to try it on anyway," Rino Burdi said . "When he came out, he was absolutely in love."

Related: Michael Jordan picked Dean Smith over Phil Jackson if he had one game to play: "Phil was lucky"