There are certain athletes whose accomplishments transcend the sport they dominate.
From that moment they are no longer just elite athletes – instead, they become legends and icons. I’m talking the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Usain Bolt and Muhammad Ali. Of course Michael Jordan, arguably (and categorically) THE BEST basketball player to ever grace the basketball court, belongs to this group.
To compartmentalise Jordan’s iconic career into one single documentary is near-impossible but if anyone can pull it off it’s Netflix who have partnered with US sports network ESPN for a mammoth 10-hour documentary about one of the world’s most iconic athletes.
Even if you’re not a fan of basketball you would have undoubtedly heard the name Michael Jordan, no single player has been paramount to the success of not only his team but a whole sport (sorry LeBron and Kobe fans but it’s facts). Along with his six NBA Champions rings, five MVPs, two Olympic gold medals and a whole host of other accolades (we’d be here forever if I recounted them all), he’s credited for popularising the sport outside of the United States.
Part of this is to do with his lucrative, and rather polished, sneaker deal with Nike but you don’t get that kind of marketing shine just by being an above-average-athlete. Jordan set the bar so high it’s impossible to reach. He also starred in the iconic kid’s film Space Jam alongside Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and Bill Murray (the 90s was a strange decade).
ESPN, who ranked His ‘Airness’ number one in SportsCentury’s Top North American Athletes of the 20th century, dropped a short trailer for the upcoming documentary which features narration from the man himself as well as contributions from teammates and coaches like Scottie Pippen, Steve Kerr and Phil Jackson who were integral during the Chicago Bulls era.
A press release from ESPN stated:
ESPN Films and Netflix today announced a joint production “The Last Dance,” a 10-part documentary series that will chronicle one of the greatest icons and most successful dynasties in sports history, Michael Jordan and the 1990s Chicago Bulls.
The documentary will be directed by Jason Hehir, who has helmed previous ESPN 30 for 30s including The Fab Five, The ’85 Bears and Andre the Giant.
ESPN’s press statement added The Last Dance will feature:
… more than 500 hours of never-before-seen footage from the team’s last championship run in the 1997-98 season, “The Last Dance” will have the full participation of Jordan and other key figures from the Bulls’ championship teams, as well as dozens of other luminaries from basketball and beyond.
Bleacher Report currently lists the 14-time All-Star, two-time slam dunk winner and 10-time scoring champion, as the principal owner of NBA team the Charlotte Hornets and the face of the Air Jordan sneaker and sportswear line.
He’s also responsible for inspiring this generation’s current crop of NBA stars including LeBron James and Stephen Curry – the closet to taking Jordan’s mantle as the greatest player ever (not forgetting the recently retired Kobe Byrant of course).
ESPN and Netflix’s 30 for 30: The Last Dance will premiere next year.
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