For a player so transcendent on and off the court, Michael Jordan exuded an aura of mystery that all and sundry simply accepted. What fans knew of him, they did so because he afforded them a peek into his guarded life. True, there were rumors galore, but their spread and proliferation served only to underscore the degree with which he guarded his privacy. That said, his philosophy for success was clear early on; he would do anything and everything to win. Nothing was sacred. Everything was fair play. And it was precisely because of his single-minded quest for perfection that he proved to be his own worst enemy.
Given the melding of reality with the extraordinary in Jordan’s case, it comes as no surprise that The Last Dance, a 10-part series 13 years in the making and finally out today, has become the most anticipated documentary in National Basketball Association history. In part, it’s because of the times; the radical change in schedule the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has inflicted on hoops diehards and casual observers alike makes them a captive audience. Compelled to stay at home, they have no choice but to turn to the organized dissection of the Bulls’ 1997–98 campaign as a means to satiate their appetite for testosterone-fueled fare.
Even without taking into consideration the proven pedigree of those behind The Last Dance, the central role Jordan plays in it ensures its worth and worthiness. It’s a no-brainer for the countless hoops habitues who saw him cement his place in the pantheon of all-time greats with a third straight championship and sixth in eight seasons, the string broken only by his flirtation with baseball between 1993 and 1995. Likewise, it’s the ultimate tease for a new generation of fans who didn’t get to see him play, but who were nonetheless intrigued by stories being passed along in the grapevine. Now, they’ll get to see the truth.
By all accounts, The Last Dance cuts no corners. True, it has come to fruition because Jordan retained control over the production; he had the power to shut everything down at any time. On the other hand, he understood that his finest side — the one that precisely separates him from his so-called peers and ensures his status as the best of the best — can be appreciated to the fullest only if his Hyde persona is likewise on display for all to see. It’s a look that definitely betrays his warts, and also definitely highlights his strengths. Whether he was an irrational bully or just as demanding of others as he was of himself depends on point of view, but there can be no arguing the results.
Jordan wasn’t — isn’t — easy. Neither does The Last Dance promise to be. It’s not intended to be a gift wrapped ever so neatly. Rather, it’s an uncompromising look in the complexities of the NBA’s most popular — and most polarizing — figure. For the narrative series’ principal protagonist, it’s also a reminder that even the first among equals has frailties. What set him apart was his capacity to overcome them.
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and Human Resources management, corporate communications, and business development.
