El Segundo, Calif. ? Phil Jackson’s weight is down and his energy is up, which is good considering what lies ahead: coaching Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers.

“It’s one of the biggest challenges I think I’ve ever faced,” Jackson said Friday.

That might sound strange since he’s perhaps the most successful coach in NBA history and the Lakers appear to have, on paper anyway, one of the league’s best teams ever with four superstars.

“We’re going to have to have a big sacrifice from players, from stars, to make this work,” Jackson said.

Holdovers Shaquille O’Neal and Bryant and newcomers Karl Malone and Gary Payton bring a combined career scoring average of 93.0 points into the season.

Jackson mentioned playing with the New York Knicks along with stars like Dave DeBusschere, Bill Bradley, Walt Frazier, Willis Reed, Earl Monroe and Dick Barnett, among others.

“There were some tremendous egos,” Jackson said. “Red Holzman was able to get the guys to share the basketball, which is what it’s all about. That’s something I have to do.”

Jackson said he spoke with Bryant right before his 25th birthday Aug. 23 and was told Bryant intended to be at training camp.

“He said he hadn’t touched a basketball, was still doing therapy,” Jackson said.

Bryant, who faces a sexual assault charge from a 19-year-old Colorado woman, underwent surgery on his right shoulder in June and had minor knee surgery the day after he was charged with committing the assault.

When asked if Bryant should be playing considering the circumstances, Jackson replied: “I think it’s his choice. His genius is basketball. To do that, he’s got to play it at its highest level. I think it will provide him a space where he can do what he does.

“We’d really like to see a court set a trial date that relieves the pressure of the season, whenever that might happen.”

Jackson said there was no question Bryant’s situation would affect the Lakers. A preliminary hearing on the matter is scheduled in Eagle, Colo., Oct. 9 — the day the team returns from camp in Hawaii.

“It’s just a matter of focus and attention, we’ve got to live with it,” Jackson said. “It stirs up the energy around the situation — a tremendous amount of media. We have to temper that.”

Jackson said he would address the team about the Bryant situation “and try to set down some parameters as how we’re going to deal with it.”

O’Neal told reporters recently his conditioning wasn’t a problem last season, the problem was he didn’t get the ball enough.

Jackson said he spoke with O’Neal recently and the Lakers’ big man looked good.

He also pointed out the Lakers were rebuilt nearly 50 percent during the offseason and it would take time for the players to learn to work together.

Training camp begins in less than three weeks in Hawaii, where they play their first exhibition games Oct. 7-8 against Golden State.

“We have to go back to some of the basics,” Jackson said. “We have to re-establish a defense that got lax last year. That will take intensity.

“I want to make somewhat of a change. I’m going to be on the court and more active as a basketball coach.”

Jackson, who has coached nine championship teams to tie Boston’s Red Auerbach for the NBA record, underwent an angioplasty May 10 — five days before the Lakers were eliminated by eventual champion San Antonio to put an end to their three-year run as NBA champions.

Jackson said he was examined extensively last month and given a clean bill of health.

“At one point, I’d lost 18 pounds this summer,” he said. “I’ve had an opportunity to exercise. I do feel a lot better.”

The five-year, $30 million contract Jackson signed with the Lakers in June 1999 expires after this season. He said discussions concerning an extension were ongoing.