Phil Jackson Leaves Fans Puzzled After Posting Trump Tower Protest Arrest Video

Phil Jackson, the NBA coaching legend known for his Zen style and championship rings, had his social media followers scratching their heads on Wednesday after he posted a video showing a protester being arrested at Trump Tower in New York. The mystery? Jackson shared the clip without a single word of commentary—leaving fans to debate what, exactly, he was getting at.

The arrest in question involved Nathaniel Smith, a 36-year-old from Brooklyn, who was caught on camera spray-painting over a plaque inside the Manhattan skyscraper. After his artistic outburst, Smith knelt down, brandished a "Game Over" banner, and declared, "This is your country. This is our country. This is our planet.… You cannot ruin it without comment. They are ruining the planet for profit," as police led him away.

The viral footage, and Jackson's decision to spotlight it, instantly set off a flurry of speculation among his fans. Was he making a statement? Was it just a wild video he thought people should see? Or is this just classic Phil, keeping everyone guessing?

Jackson, of course, is no stranger to controversy. Back in 2023, he stirred debate with his remarks about NBA players protesting during the league's pandemic "bubble". He claimed the NBA was "catering" to certain audiences, turning off some fans who preferred their basketball politics-free. Later, on the "Gimme the Hot Sauce" podcast, Jackson insisted his comments were misunderstood: "I don’t think people got the humor… The names were on the back of the players in the bubble, and if you apply them to defending and challenging and going to the hoop, it had a funny aspect to it." He also clarified that he had no issue with the BLM cause itself—just the league's approach, which, as he put it, was "pretty hard to watch."

Now, with this latest cryptic post, Jackson has once again managed to be the topic of conversation, even without saying a word. Talk about the Zen master of ambiguity.