When Lisa Bluder took inspiration from Phil Jackson's way of coaching Michael Jordan to work with Caitlin Clark

Facing the challenge of coaching a singular talent like Caitlin Clark, former Iowa coach Lisa Bluder turned to Phil Jackson’s blueprint with Michael Jordan. Bluder studied how Jackson got Jordan to buy into the Bulls’ team system, and saw parallels in managing Clark.

In August last year, she gave an interview to the Iowa Capital Dispatch's Jane Burns at Bluebird Café in Iowa City. Bluder said that she reread Jackson’s book Sacred Hoops the summer before Clark’s final season, and even had Clark read selected passages.

“I thought that was a very similar thing, of how he was trying to get Michael Jordan to blend with the team,” Bluder said. “I had read it once but I read it over again. And I had Caitlin read some parts of it, I made her read some parts of it because I wanted her to understand some lessons about bringing your teammates along.”

Lisa Bluder gets embraced by Kate Martin, second from left, and Caitlin Clark - Source: Imagn

Bluder, who retired in May after 40 years as a head coach, six at St. Ambrose, 10 at Drake, and 24 at Iowa, continued:

“She was the right person for me and I was the right person for her,” Bluder said. “I really believe that.”

Clark never won a national title, but leading Iowa to back-to-back Final Fours might stand just as tall. She was selected No. 1 overall by the Indiana Fever in the 2024 WNBA Draft.

The Lisa Bluder and Caitlin Clark phase

Caitlin Clark, right, talks with head coach Lisa Bluder - Source: Imagn

Over four seasons together, Lisa Bluder and Caitlin Clark, the Hawkeyes reached back-to-back NCAA championship games in 2023 and 2024. Clark became a global star and the NCAA Division I all-time scoring leader. Bluder said Clark elevated women’s sports in a way matched perhaps only by Billie Jean King.

Clark, in turn, called Bluder a "Hall of Fame coach" and credited her for tailoring the offense to the team.

“Coach Bluder is a Hall of Fame coach,” Clark said, according to People. "One of the best our game has ever seen."

The run ended this spring, when Clark declared for the WNBA Draft and Bluder retired after 24 seasons at Iowa and 40 years overall. Iowa retired Clark’s No. 22 jersey shortly after.