The Last Dance I finally got around to watching this series and it’s a really good series watching my childhood basketball team and after many years getting an understanding of what went on behind the scenes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQk2hJs2ToA
This is a mini-series documentary that chronicles and follows the Best Team in NBA history the Chicago Bulls from the beginning of 1984 to 1998 and how they became as mentioned before the greatest or one of the greatest NBA teams of all time and single handle put the NBA on the worldwide map and made Michael Jordan the greatest basketball player of all time. I know some may argue to sate it to be someone different but watch this and you will understand this guy was different. Michael Jordan was different you could say he was from another planet the planet where the Space Jam monstars were from. (Moron Mountain)
The Last Dance is 10 episodes and the first three episodes talk about the key players that the Chicago Bulls managed to get when trying to build the ultimate bulls team of the 90’s era.
The first episode talks about Michael Jordan and his path to becoming drafted to the bulls in 1984. Some of you readers probably were not even born then and I know I was only tiny then.
The first episode also talks about Jerry Krause and his single-minded vision and focus to build the best NBA team for Chicago. Jerry started with Michael Jordan and then in episode two we talk about how they managed to get Scottie Pippen and in the second episode being Scottie Pippen focused it talks about how Scottie Pippen became the second-best player in the NBA behind Michael Jordan however having the worst long term contract and being underpaid.
The third episode talks about how they managed to get Dennis Rodman after Horace Grant left and all these episodes go back to these players childhoods and how they got in line with basketball and became the greatest basketball team members. Now, these three players were the vocal point the engine of what drove the Chicago Bulls to their near decade long success.
The following episode talks about how the team managed to get Phil Jackson and how Phil started as the assistant coach and then became the head coach and how he started in the game as well.
Now the major story point here is the fact that Jerry Krause always wanted to change things and misunderstood the team’s success to be completely at an organizational level and not understanding that it starts from what he did at the start and that was building a strong team that wanted to work together first around Michael Jordan and then Phil Jackson the supercoach trying to make Michael Jordan understand that the other team members can contribute and help make the team even greater and take some of the pressure off Michael Jordan’s shoulders.
The last player that has an episode focused on him is Steve Kerr and how he became one of the NBA and Chicago Bulls greatest point guards in the game.
The major aspect about Steve Kerr’s episode is the unspoken connection that both Steve and Michael had about their fathers and no spoilers you need to watch that.
The other aspect is the dedication Steve showed to the game of basketball and this showed Michael that he can go to Steve when it counted and this all occurred due to what occurred in training.
Michael in the series you could see elevated the Chicago Bulls game as a team and the whole team understood what it takes to drive for that level of success being 3 times back to back champions 6-time champions going from 1991 1992 1993 & 1996 1997 1998
Now let me talk about the player that got left out and I can understand why it would have left a bitter taste in his mouth. The tall centre from the land down under Luc Longley. Luc should have got some more mins in this mini-series but was overshadowed by the other players mentioned above.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q27fAO1emHM
I feel that Luc did contribute to the team but the way in which the documentary was heading it really did not have him and did not him as part of the narrative. I know this can be kinda cruel but watch the series and you will understand why.
In saying all this Luc late last year did have a news piece done by Australian Story about Luc Longley and his contribution to the Chicago Bulls and basketball in general.
In this Australian Story, Michael Jordan does speak to the reporter and sets the record straight about what and how Luc Longley contributed and what this meant for Michael Jordan and the team.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=US7VFL9cXTk
I think the Australian Story piece is better and it’s the missing piece of The Last Dance.
Overall one of the best sports documentaries done by ESPN and Netflix of recent times worth a watch more than once and I would say if you are a fan of Sports docs this would be the one you should purchase as well to add to the collection.
Fun for all 10/10