23 | Dickey Simpkins on Michael Jordan's Leadership, How Phil Jackson Managed Personalities and Egos, and Winning Titles on the 90's Bulls

Written By Evan Burk

Dickey Simpkins is an NBA Scout, TV Analyst, and 3-time World Champion as a former NBA player. He led Providence College to a Big East title his senior year in college, played on 3 championships teams with 4 Hall of Famers on the late 1990's Chicago Bulls, and has served as an NBA scout for the Charlotte Hornets and currently for the Washington Wizards.

In this conversation, Evan Burk speaks with Dickey about the winning culture on the Chicago Bulls under Phil Jackson, how his daily approach earned the respect of Michael Jordan, and using his playing experiences in his current role as an NBA Scout and TV Analyst.

Tune into this episode to hear:

  • Standing out at Providence College under Rick Barnes

  • The instant change in intensity once Michael Jordan re-joined to the Bulls in 1995

  • How Michael Jordan taking ownership for losing to Orlando in the ‘95 Playoffs was a defining moment for winning the next 3 Titles

  • How Dickey evolved as a player under Phil Jackson and playing with MJ

  • What set the 90’s Bulls’ team culture apart

  • “Know Your Role, Embrace your role, and Star in Your Role”

  • Being apart of the infamous “Sprewell/Carlesimo Choke” Warriors

  • Watching Phil Jackson’s leadership and the unseen things he noticed

  • How Phil Jackson managed personalities and egos

  • Using his playing experiences in his scouting and evaluation of players

  • Understanding how situations impact the success of players

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    Evan Burk

    Evan Burk is a speaker, former NFL coach, and podcast host who uses the sports world as his backdrop to engage audiences with thought-provoking lessons of leadership, team-building, and creating championship cultures.

    Evan Burk is not your typical football coach. Despite not playing football beyond high school and no network in the coaching profession, Evan's unlikely football journey began as a 4th grade coach, where he quickly worked his way to the NFL in just 6 years, and included coaching for teams such as the Miami Dolphins, UCLA, and SMU.

    After spending fifteen-plus years working with the highest-performing athletes, coaches, and teams on the planet, Coach Burk uses his unique football coaching background to teach people how to utilize the same strategies in business and life that elite players and teams use to perform at a world-class level.

    Evan received his B.S. in business management from the University of Colorado, and his Master of Liberal Studies degree from Southern Methodist University. He also hosts his own weekly sports leadership podcast, The Highest Level, where he reveals how championship team cultures are built and the keys to leadership excellence at the highest level.

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