On Sunday night, ESPN aired the final two hours of The Last Dance, its 10-part documentary series that told the story of the Bulls‘ 1997/98 season, with a number of entertaining digressions along the way.
With nearly every North American professional sport on a hiatus for the time being, the Michael Jordan-centric series was well-timed. It dominated the discussion among basketball fans for five weeks while appealing to more casual viewers as well.
For older viewers, it was an opportunity to relive the Bulls’ dynasty of the 1990s while perhaps learning some new details along the way. For younger viewers who didn’t get a chance to follow Jordan in his prime, it was perhaps more illuminating, offering the opportunity to explore iconic NBA moments such as MJ’s series-winning shot over Cleveland in 1989, his rivalry with the Bad-Boy Pistons, and his return from an 18-month stint as a baseball player.
Even now that the documentary has finished airing, there are no shortage of topics to discuss. For instance, did 1998 really have to be the “last dance” for that Bulls dynasty? ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne explored this morning whether the team could have been kept intact beyond that season.
ESPN’s Royce Young, meanwhile, notes that Jordan said in the last installment of the doc that he would’ve been willing to sign up for one more year if the rest of the team’s key players were brought back too; on the other hand, ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Twitter link) expresses some skepticism that Scottie Pippen would have been on board to return when he had a massive offer from Houston waiting for him in free agency.
Of course, the ongoing Jordan vs. LeBron James debate hasn’t lost any momentum in recent weeks, though an ESPN survey suggests that The Last Dance may have helped tip the scales in further in Jordan’s favor when it comes to public opinion. According to ESPN’s poll, 73% of respondents now believe Jordan is the superior overall player.
We want to know what you think. Could the Bulls have won a seventh title if they’d brought back the 1998 team, or was it the right call for that version of the club to go out on top? Did The Last Dance change – or solidify – your stance in the Jordan/LeBron debate?
Outside of those topics, we want to know what you thought about the documentary in general. What were you favorite moments or episodes? Were you surprised by anything you learned over the course of those 10 episodes? Were you disappointed by details that may have been left out? Did you think the story of Jordan and the Bulls was well told?
And, of course, do you buy Jordan’s claim that he didn’t really push off Bryon Russell in Game 6 of the 1998 Finals?
Head to the comment section below to share your thoughts on The Last Dance!
Jordan/Lebron debate?? What about Kobe lol… Imagine if Kobe won 1 more ring and tied Jordan at 6…. that would be a good debate .. Lebron comes in 3rd
Russell, Wilt, Kareem, Magic all have a bunch or rings as well. Russell has one for every finger!
I think Robert Harry has 5!
Horry has 7 but not on the level with those players!
Perfect answer to these “debates”, because you are giving your opinion based on what you actually SAW rather than a number of rings or accolades. Anybody who saw Horry knows he’s a winner but not an alltime great.
That’s my point about Jordan, LeBron, Kobe, Kareem, Wilt, or whoever else you wanna throw out there. Regardless of rings/accolades, if you actually SEEN them, you know Jordan is the GOAT.
Kobe isn’t in the discussion because he isn’t as great as Jordan or Bron
If you wanted to add a third to the discussion it should be either KAJ or Bill Russell
I don’t give a rip who’s the greatest PLAYER of all time. You can’t even have a definitive answer. There’s like five or eight guys who could be the greatest ever.
You need a team to win and some of these greatest ever players like Michael Jordan couldn’t do it by himself. he didn’t win for what seven years trying to do it on his own? You need a Scottie Pippen, you need Dennis Rodman and Bill Cartwright and John Paxson and Ron Harper. And you need Phil Jackson. Greatest of all time, pffft. You can make an argument for Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Bill Russell and Larry Bird and LeBron James. What about Oscar Robertson and Jerry West Hakeem Olajuwon and Shaquille O’Neal. Heck, my opinion Kobe Bryant could be the GOAT. But he didn’t win anything until they put a team around him.
I think the more legitimate argument is greatest team of all time. One of those 90s Bulls teams? One of the Celtics teams from the 60s or the Lakers in the 80s? That’s the discussion.
These supposed candidates for greatest player of all-time couldn’t do a darn thing until they had the other players around them. Before that they were just glorified Dominique Wilkins, Bernard King, or Pete Maravich types sometimes scoring 30-plus points a game but not winning a thing.
This guy gets it! There is no best of all time!
I agree for the most part. However, one thing I have wondered about is the degree of symbiosis between second-tier stars and the all-time greats. Does someone like James Worthy make the HOF if he is on a different team than the Lakers? Would the Warriors have won with someone other than Klay Thompson as a number 2/3 option? If you switched Scottie Pippen to the Pacers or Knicks, does that make them good enough to beat the Bulls?
Kawg, those are great questions. So you can almost add to the team idea the GM. Huge part of the entire circle. But I guess the guys with the ball in their hands are on the floor so probably most important. But yep the fit is critical. Maybe that’s why Isaiah Thomas wasn’t on the Dream Team? Wouldn’t have been a great fit.? Then you think of the Dennis Rodman phenomenon. Gutsy moves by the Bulls and then the Lakers later. Genius to see in Rodman his incomparable capabilities.
It’s a joke to think that LeBron is even close to Jordan’s level.
You can’t be serious. LeBron could score 30 a game like Jordan did LeBron can defend like Jordan did. In fact I love those come-from-behind swats off the backboard. LeBron is way better passer and had better vision. Jordan’s probably a better shooter and a better clutch performer, but LeBron is definitely in the conversation. He’s amazing. If you want to talk about rings, see my argument above. Jordan did zilch for 7 years.
Those blocks were more from great athleticism than great defense. LeBron, man-up, one-on-one, is light years behind Jordan defensively. Both were/are great passers but LeBron, imo, is the greatest passer of alltime. Won’t have the assist record, but still my best passer ever. I’ve never seen a player make tougher passes that literally always hit the shooter in the right spot – rarely (if ever) do they have to reach for his passes and then gather for their shot.
And, yes, LeBron could easily average 30+ ppg if he wanted to sacrifice a few assists.
All that said, as one who’s seen and followed both of their careers, while it’s certainly not apples and oranges, I go with Jordan as my GOAT.
Jumpshot you are definitely not wrong !! Most agree with you.
Yeah, and Lebron did zilch until he joined an All Star team.
LeBron is a great player,but without Michael Jordan, the NBA would still be fighting the NHL for 3rd place in the US or worse. People forget just how much of a hardcore fan sport pro basketball was back then. Jordan and his commercials brought in the casual fan and allowed the NBA to grow and allow LeBron to get all the attention he got as a high school kid.
That’s my point exactly. These all time greatest players are nothing without a team. Exactly.
Whether it’s LeBron, or Jordan, or magic, Larry Bird, Bill Russell. They need players around them.. they do nothing before they get these guys to support them.
What about Allen Iverson. He was every bit the basketball player Michael Jordan was. His heart is every bit as big as Michael Jordan’s. He may not be the defender… but would he be in the goat conversation if he had some guys around him and won 3-5 rings ? Maybe. Maybe not.
Jordan killed the league the minute he stepped in it. And, even before, as an Olympian playing exhibition games against the NBA guys prior to the Olympics, he was the best player on the floor in those games.
He didn’t have a good team yet when Bird still called him “God disguised as Micheal Jordan”.
Jordan was still clearly three cuts above even before the Bulls became a championship caliber team. We saw what happened as his teams got better.
But, that’s why he’s the exception to saying nobody is this or that without their teammates.
Again, you’re not wrong. Good stuff.
Comparing players from different eras is pretty pointless. What would Bill Russell’s and Wilt Chamberlain’s stats look like if they had to go against 90s centers every night? Would Larry Bird score 40 a game in today’s NBA? Would Steph Curry be able to handle getting roughed up every night in the 80s / 90s? There are just too many differences to ever reach a solid conclusion.
I think you can compare guys from before to guys today. As your competition is better around you, you rise also. Wilt Chamberlain was way better than everybody else around him back then and I think if he grew up now he would also be amazing. He could run he could score he could defend he was smart!! and he was unselfish at the end. An amazing basketball player who would dominate back then and dominate today.
The only thing that’s different is because the game has grown, there’s more guys who are good players and even great players today, so we think the exceptional guys from years past won’t be exceptional now. But I think they would be.
Not to mention, how would Steph Curry or any other modern player be able to handle an NBA without a 3 point shot? Outside shooters would have very little impact in a non-3 point NBA. Why take a shot from 25 feet that you hit 40% of the time when you can pass it inside for a 60% chance at the same 2 points?
Or how would any modern NBA player handle retribution for dunks as happened in the 50s and 60s? Defenders would regularly try to legit injure guys by running under them during dunks because they viewed them as a personal shot against them.
And there is also the different training and equipment and supplements that were available back then.
There are just too many variables to compare eras. It’s like trying to compare a modern starting pitcher that goes 5-6 innings every 5 days to an early 1900s starter that pitched 9 innings every 2-3 days. It’s just a different game.
I guess what I’m saying is that guys from different eras weather in the past applying to now or guys now playing back then scenario, is that they would work on what would be important for that era.
Maybe Curry playing in the 70s before the three-point shot wouldn’t take as many 24 footers, but he would hit and incredible percentage of 15 to 23 foot shots. And because every team had a big man he would still score in bunches. He would have the same handles and deception and still be an All-Star, I think. Curry would be like Mark Price, but a little bit better I think. Price was an All-Star. What I’m saying is guys who are great in a certain era will excel in a different decade or era. Thoughts? Am I way off on that?
Good point. I think we could all agree the all-time greats (Jordan, Lebron, Bird, etc.) would excel in almost any era to varying degrees.
It gets murkier when you get into the second-tier HOFers. A guy like Patrick Ewing would get run off the court in today’s game, but would have excelled in earlier eras. Steph Curry would have a floor of Reggie Miller in the 90s, or a ceiling of Jerry West in the 60s-70s.
No one talks about how good the defense was in the 90’s how hard it was to score. Look at all the scores. In the 80’s and 90’s mostly although holding Utah to 54 points is amazing. Jordan would have averaged 50 + today. There are great individual defenders today but very few if any great defensive teams. It’s impossible to really call anyone the greatest but Jordan was an assassin and his drive to win was second to none!
Yes exactly. And go back even farther, Wilt Chamberlain was double and triple teamed on every possession. He would absolutely dominate today.
Of course if Wilt didn’t change his ways, he might have been on the shelf too often with a rainbow of STDs as well.
Completely agree. And back then it was far more physical. Hand checking and later forearm checking was allowed as opposed to now where damn near any contact results in a defensive foul.
The defensive rules were more 50/50 in the 90’s whereas today’s rules favor the offensive player by a long shot.
Lebron is not even close to being the goat. Mj has and always will be the goat until someone dominates the league for 15 years like him and goes 7-0 in finals. Until that time we can just admire that we got to watch mj play.
Michael Jordan dominated the NBA from 1984 to 1990? Perhaps he did but not with the argument you present. You’re straddling both sides of the fence. Rings or individual accomplishments? Which is it?
But don’t get me wrong if you were to ask me, I don’t have any problem saying Michael Jordan is the greatest basketball player of all time. Not at all. I’m just creating conversations.
My takeaway. Jerry Krause had little guy syndrome and didn’t know how good he had it. So eager to get rid of everyone and “rebuild”. Careful what you wish for.
Here’s his highlights post Jordan:
0 Championships. 0 Playoff Appearances. Finished 8th, 8th, 8th, 8th, and 6th in the conference.
He traded Pippen, Kerr, Longley, and Kukoc for nothing players and draft picks that became nothing players.
The good players he drafted were Elton Brand and Ron Artest, traded them both after 2 years and they went on to have very good careers elsewhere. They didn’t get anything near value for either player.
So from 1999 – 2002 it was just a series of bust drafts, bust trades.
The only good moves he made was a trade for Jamal Crawford, who later got traded too early and a trade for Jalen Rose who had his best season in Chicago. Tyson Chandler was not a premier player for Chicago, he carved out a valuable role player role on several teams tho.
I should probably look this up before commenting but what about one other blunder, was this one under Krause? Picking and trading LaMarcus Aldridge for the number 4 pick I forget his name but he never did anything also?
Krause picked the boob Eddy Curry. John Paxon was the GM that traded Eddy Curry landing LMA in 2005.
Paxon actually drafted very well from 2003 – 2009. Combination of trades that led to a lot of these picks too.
03 – Hinrich, 04 – Ben Gordon, Loul Deng, 06 – LMA, 07 – Noah, 08 – Rose, 09 – Taj Gibson
Yes it was actually in the 90s that the Bulls drafted poorly (some would say excepting #1 pick Brand, but he was a mixed blessing in my book). Krause would never have seen his plans get far without Jordan, so he is lucky as is. The era broke up appropiately.
Today – 1 Jordan, 2 Wilt, 3 Kareem, 4 Russell, 5 Kobe, 6 Bird, 7 Magic, 8 Shaq, 9 Hakeem 10 Duncan
Wilt and Shaq are the 2 most dominant players to ever play the game. Any Top-5 that doesn’t include Wilt should be thrown out any Top-10 that doesn’t include Shaq should be thrown out.
Russell had the best assembled teams in history compared to the rest of the league (7 HOF teammates).
That’s how I rank it. I think it’s premature to insert current players in All Time Lists. Those lists are supposed to be full career pictures of a player vs another.
I feel that when it’s all said and done though, you’re going to slide LBJ into #2 and slide everyone else down 1. Leading a team to the NBA Finals 8 straight times in Today’s game with the # of games, travel, level of competition, level of FA changes each year is incredible. Only comparison on that level in the modern game is Jordan.
His competition has also included the best shooting back court in NBA history and a team with the #2 and #3 overall players in the league. Which is like going up against Kareem and Magic every year – which is why I have Bird over Magic, Bird didn’t have Kareem.
My take-
I wonder how Jordan would be viewed in todays Media if he played now?
I mean truly theres nothing about his personaility thats likable and hes a downright SOB on most matters- I dont think todays players would vibe with the whole “your not in the same atmoshere as me” that he constantly put off to EVERYONE…
Cmon Clyde gets heat bc he has a good year?
Obv no problem with his game but boy his personaility left a LOT to be desired
Yeah Jordan is the 90s was viewed as great cause he was Hard, tough and competitive. No doubt he was unbelievably talented and completely dominated.
But his personality in today’s game would be viewed totally different. He would be seen as a bully, to competitive, to intense, just someone players didn’t get along with.
Look at how Jimmy Butler was viewed after 1 season in Minny. He was to competitive and wanted to win and couldn’t get along with KAT and Wiggins.
Look at the Greek freak who is a very humble and great guy, he started his career off working really hard to go from nothing to something and has a huge passion to win championships. Even him with Middleton (the sidekick) and a good roster with a good coach can’t make the finals and he’s apparently thinking about teaming up with GSW.
Everyone is quick to say he’s the goat and that bulls team is the best ever and he would score 50 in today’s game but it’s all just abit over the top.
Maybe if he played today guys would be “tougher”, somewhat following his lead. But, if you just pluck him into today’s era, of course he’d stick out like a sore thumb. Because of that, it’s totally impossible to say how players and media would react to his personality.
Id look at Kobe as a telling sign
Hell you even have Lebron haters this day
I dont think 23 would age well
Great Ie with Butler above Russ Simmons
MJ left and then a lockout happened, maybe the lockout would have helped the older team stay freash.
I am a 72 years old Michael and LeBron fan! After giving the matter prayerful consideration LeBron James is the GOAT!
Michael needed:
Scottie Pippins Hall of Fame
Dennis Rodman Hall of Fame
Steve Kerr
Horace Grant
And a host of role players
Phil Jackson (All time Great)
When Michael retired the first time. Next season the Bull went to Eastern Final led by Scottie Pippins
In the NBA Michael Jordan was treated like a sacred cow! If you touch him it was a foul!
LeBron James, Stronger, unselfish, higher basketball IQ, photographic memory,First class diet and training program.
Rookie coaches!
Kyrie Irvin was hurt in 2015 Finals as well as Kevin Love! Still carried Cleveland 6 games in NBA finals with a rookie coach.
If he had Jordan supporting players won 7 or 8.
Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh, Kyrie Irvin and now the Lakers and you can expect 1 or 2 more rings even though he is 35 years old plus.
You can expect him getting 40,000 points, as well assists as a team player.
When ever LeBron leave a team It become a lottery team not an Eastern final team! When he put his uniform on the team’s A contender. Now put that in the Bank!
I don’t like to debate or try compare the different eras of basketball I just like to respect the great that played each era.
But watching the last dance didn’t change my top 10 list or opinion. As it still stands I have it.
1. Bron 2. MJ 3. KAJ 4. Bill Russell 5. Magic 6. Bird 7. Wilt 8. Kobe 9. Duncan 10. Hakeem
I found the last dance a little corny tho.
I was made by Jordan and approved by Jordan to remind everyone how great he was after Bron beast GSW and people started to think of him as the GOAT. It’s all about of a ego boost and attention seeking. When MJ was dominating with the Bulls you didn’t see Bill Russell making a movie saying how he won 11 rings. You did see Wilt saying he would dominate MJ and Shaq but that’s just Wilt. Jordan had his time to shine and people loved him and he did so much for growing the game and Bron gets a lot of hate from Jordan fans.
Me knowing how great Jordan was I didn’t need to see it to believe it. I knew that Jordan is unmatched from a competitive stand point and from a mindset stand point he will always strive to be the greatest. He was also a dam good basketball player that was unbelievably talented and sometimes hard to get along with and abit of a bully.
I find it ironic how ESPN jump in straigh away with a top 74 players ever and a Jordan vs Bron poll straight after the series. Jordan won all the poll measures including better passer, better team mate and better looking. Like what a load of crap firstly who cares what they look like, secondly Bron averages 2 assists more per game and almost has double Jordan’s career assits and thirdly Jordan’s team mates were scared of him and he bullied them and he punched Steve Kerr in the face. Bron is always talked about as a great teammate and buys amazing gifts and has done so much for player empowerment and players on social media, players speaking out about politics and culture. He carried terrible teams to the finals and made sure his teammates were well paid like Tristan Thompson, Matthew Dellavedova and JR Smiths contracts.
I find the antics around the series so stupid and people so small minded for believing the first thing they see. Like wow did you see Jordan in the last dance man he is the GOAT, yet probably only watched 5 NBA games in their life.
I do agree with all you say my man!
Personally I can’t choose who’s the GOAT… but my list would go with Bird, LBJ, Magic & Jordan, probably in that order… or not, these four guys gotta be the best ever with hardly nothing separating them, I am 46, so I can’t really say much about players that played more than 40 years ago, I stick with the ones I know!
Yeah I personally I prefer to tier them.
At the top I have Bron MJ KAJ
Then Bill Wilt Magic Bird
Then Kobe Duncan Hakeem Shaq
But cheers glad someone agrees with me
I did not see it and would probably complain about legend-building perspectives taken if I did… can’t say impartiality was a goal. At least it didn’t try to depict him as a nice guy, and, if someone has to be #1 alltime, it’s probably him. As for the Pistons playing the bad guys… it would take a Pistons “documentary” for them not to be (and there was one, “Bad Boys”).
Someday there will be a Lebron “doc” and afterwards, polls will show a shift in perception to his side. I think though that some see him personally as always the huge enemy no matter which jersey he’s wearing. Jordan was more humanly scaled, while still an ideal; and had a better haircut lol.
I do not like how the phrase “Jordan rules” has changed its meaning from the way it was used outside of the Piston’s circle, referring to the officiating of the era.
I watched the entirety of both of their careers and as great as LeBron is and was, it’s not even close. Jordan made you feel completely beaten, physically and mentally. You just knew he was going to find a way. LeBron is physically on Jordan’s level, but mentally, LeBron has had lapses. LeBron is still incredible, just not the best ever.
I have to say I did not remember how hard to get that 6th ring was, and I am not certain they could have won another. But it would have been fun to watch them try.
In general, Reinsdorf prioritizes money over winning, prime example is the White Sox 1994 World Championship. Oh wait, Reinsdorf pushed for a season-ending lockout even though that year was the best chance his team had to win. His comments about having to ‘overpay’ arguably the greatest (and need we mention one of the all-time most profitable) teams in history tells you all you need to know about Jerry.
I loved that team. Literally watched every game. That said, both Jordan and Krause were correct. Yep, both of them were right. The team should have had the opportunity to run it back and keep running it back until they got beat. That said, they woulda got beat. Even with the advantage of a strike shortened season, I believe they still lose. Over the cap, over the hill.. the greatest team in modern day history (no offense to the Celtics of the short shorts era) MJ’s Bulls would have lost.
I still see MJ’s point though. They had the right, they EARNED the right to run it back until someone beat them. Yet, I see the Jerry’s perspective. They had to play chess, not checkers, and think about the long term for the organization.
Six one way, ½ dozen the other. That was the greatest team ever. Such a thrill, a blessing to watch it happen live, in the moment. A moment that will certainly stand the test of time. The greatest player ever on the greatest team ever. Chicagoans were spoiled.
*most successful modern team
And in retrospect, he did nothing LT for the organization. And he traded away to very good players prematurely during that time – Brand and Ron Artest – after 2 years. So he had no real plan or vision beyond Jordan.