Time to read: 3 min read
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Clyde was a threat, I’m not saying he wasn’t a threat. But being compared to him? I took offence to that.
This docuseries shows the illustrious career of Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls during the 90s. The main narrative shows MJ’s last season at the Bulls, the proverbial “Last Dance”. The narrative skips back and forth along the timeline, from MJ’s earlier moments in his career to the Bull’s championship run in 1998.
Being born too late to experience MJ’s dominance in basketball, this docuseries illustrates why many consider MJ to be the most dominant athlete to ever grace team sports. The narrative follows MJ as he carries a broken franchise on his shoulders, leading them to two three-peat championships. The docuseries definitely portrays MJ in a preferential fashion, but it does cover some of his shortcomings, such as his gambling controversy and the way he treated his teammates.
The series features in-depth interviews with a plethora of people, such as MJ’s teammates Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman, MJ’s coach Phil Jackson, and MJ’s entourage, such as his trainer Tim Grover and his friends, such as reporter Ahmad Rashad. The people who got interviewed for this docuseries even includes Barack Obama (as former Chicago resident) and Bill Clinton (as former Arkansas Governor). My favourite interviews are definitely with all the legendary players who played against MJ; it’s incredible to review the list of basketball greats that MJ had to battle and beat. The list includes the greats who came before MJ, such as Isiah Thomas’ Pistons and Magic Johnson’s Lakers, and MJ’s contemporaries, such as Reggie Miller’s Pacers and Karl Malone and John Stockton’s Jazz. It’s incredible just how dominant MJ’s Bulls were as they faced and beat these other legendary teams.
The docuseries dives deep into MJ’s psychology, and there were many similarities between MJ’s mentality and that of Kobe’s. They both have a deep desire to not only win but to dominate, and they both push people around them to strive for excellence. MJ, throughout his career, often dealt with exhaustion, both physical and emotional. He took breaks, such as hanging out with his friends and family, and even taking a hiatus in the middle of his career. MJ was also extremely competitive and it was important for him to win in every competition, such as playing cards or golf with friends and teammates. MJ was also incredibly petty, often blowing perceived slights out of proportion to create a chip on his shoulder so that he would be motivated to perform on the court.
A portrait of one of the most dominant athletes to ever grace team sports.