The Last Dance: Things left to explore after episodes 1 and 2

The Dennis Rodman Episode

Another reveal of the first night of The Last Dance was that next week will focus, in part, on the enigma that is Dennis Rodman. Given the dedication of Scottie Pippen’s situation in the series’ second episode, it’s fair to assume that another episode will be partly devoted to the Rodman effect.

After telling the story of rookie Michael Jordan walking out of a drug-laden team party, discussing the addition of The Worm’s eccentric personality into the end of a seasoned veteran’s career is a tale that must be told. Adding to a potentially explosive situation is the fact that Rodman was an integral part of the Bad Boys teams that stood in Jordan’s way early in his career.

Juggling big personalities is a critical, but often overlooked part of the calculation of professional sports teams’ success.

Delving into how the Chicago Bulls handled the Rodman transaction will provide real context and insight into what exactly drove the second three-peat. Phil Jackson was the Zen Master for a reason. Michael Jordan always seemed to know how and when to push his teammates. How those two dealt with Rodman is a crucial piece of the puzzle.

The series already looked extensively at issues between the Michael, Phil, and Scottie and Jerry Krause. Did adding such a volatile figure into a well-oiled machine contribute to those strained relationships? It’s something the documentary has a great chance to explore.