The wording is widely credited to Jackson, including by Blue Sparrow Books, but no original Jackson book or interview has been pinned down here. Kipling supplies an earlier, similar wolf-and-pack image.
“The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team” — Phil Jackson
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? We couldn’t establish where this was first published, so there’s no rights status to give. Credit it as shown above — just don’t present it as public domain, and get permission for commercial or published reuse.
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Evoking the world of Phil Jackson — The name in the evidence. Theme: "The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team". Atmospheric and restrained, cinematic directional light, a muted period-appropriate palette, fine grain and texture. Compose with generous empty space for the quote and a small credit line. No lettering in the image itself.
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Minimalist editorial slide for the quote "The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team". Clean background, a single muted accent color, generous negative space, subtle paper or linen texture, no literal illustration — let the words carry it. Reserve clear space for a serif quote and a small credit line. No lettering in the image itself.
Provenance
The source
Documented source
Modern attribution; compare The Second Jungle Book
Date
Exact first publication not established
The strength of the team
A short excerpt from the linked source, not a replacement for the full quotation above.
The publisher repeats the line with Jackson’s name; this is evidence of circulation, not an original Jackson statement. Read the source
Kipling’s poem uses a reciprocal relationship between a wolf and its pack. The resemblance alone cannot establish who made the modern adaptation. Read the source
The exact wording and its ownership history are not securely established. No public-domain status is asserted.
Rights status is our research, not legal advice — and copyright varies by country and edition. For commercial or published use, confirm with the rightsholder. See terms.
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More provenance-checked quotes on the same theme, each with its reuse status.
Jackson is a basketball coach associated with team-first leadership. This attribution remains separate from proof that he coined these words.
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Cite this
The primary source (Chicago)
Modern attribution; compare The Second Jungle Book. Evidence and bibliographical details reproduced in the linked source; no independent access to an original edition is claimed unless stated.
This verification page
Quotle.info. “Who really said ‘The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team’?” Last verified 9 Nov 2026. https://quotle.info/who-said/the-strength-of-the-team-is-each-individual-member-the/