Michael Jordan and His Legacy
Due to Covid-19, the sports industry has shut down entirely. Leagues and conferences began postponing and canceling their seasons starting in March. The NBA canceled the 2020 season after Utah Jazz player Rudy Gobert tested positive for the coronavirus. The sports world had gone silent, and audiences were anticipating a series that had been waiting in the wings, “The Last Dance.”
“The Last Dance” was highly anticipated, and the documentary itself was 20 years in the making of unseen footage of the basketball star, Michael Jordan. Still, with the entire nation quarantined, the anticipation for the documentary grew considerably. The expectation of this series led ESPN to air the documentary early, moving up the air date significantly. The show was not supposed to premiere until June, but ESPN instead revealed the 10 part documentary series beginning on April 19th, and the show would finish May 17th.
Throughout Jordan’s career, he received a plethora of accolades. Some of Jordan’s most recognizable accolades and accomplishments include six NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Awards, ten All-NBA First Team designations, nine All-Defensive First Team honors, fourteen NBA All-Star Game selections, three All-Star Game MVP Awards, and the 1988 NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award.
In 1999, he was named the greatest North American athlete of the 20th century by ESPN. He was also apart of the 1992 United States men’s Olympic basketball team recognizably know as “The Dream Team.”
Michael Jordan holds the NBA records for highest career regular-season scoring record, averaging around 30.12 points per game and highest career playoff scoring average at about 33.45 points per game.
“The Last Dance” also highlights the careers of influential teammates and people in Michael Jordan’s life. Some of the more infamous names are teammates Scottie Pippen, Phil Jackson, and Dennis Rodman, who all make special appearances in interviews and clips throughout the series.
“The Last Dance” contains never before seen footage, and Jordan has since stated that he is worried that the documentary will make him seem like a “horrible guy.” This comment only intrigued potential viewers and led anticipation to grow even more. Jordan has historically been reserved when it comes to his interactions with the media. This documentary is shedding light on years worth of interactions between teammates, coaches, administration, and more.
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