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

The Michael Jordan Aura

An early focus in the first two episodes was just how widely the legend of Michael Jordan shone. But there are critical contributions that still can be examined.

Michael Wilbon suggested that only Babe Ruth and Muhammad Ali compared to the Chicago Bulls’ superstar. The team’s trip and Jordan’s presence in Paris sparked comparisons to the Beatles. An adult fan described him as “poetry in motion.” A child attending the opener of the 1997-98 regular season was willing to give up Christmas presents to watch the legend in person.

Michael Jordan was so much bigger than anything we have in today’s NBA.

And it wasn’t just the titles.

Rocking the cradle and sticking out the tongue en route to highlight-reel dunks endeared him to fans all over the world. The Bulls’ pregame introductions became must-watch television.

There was a brand long before the Airman logo ever ended up next to the Swoosh. But then the shoe line dropped. Every young basketball fan was wearing something Michael-related.

Then there was the gambling.

It’s not the finest part of Jordan’s legacy, but it’s an obvious part of it nonetheless. And the quick anecdote about buying Scottie Pippen golf clubs so he could “take his money” suggests there is more to come.

The Last Dance simply cannot be a slam dunk without digging into many of these indelible parts of Michael Jordan’s legacy.