The Last Dance: Things left to explore after episodes 3 and 4

The Other Side of Michael

It should not come as a surprise that a documentary dedicated to the legend of an individual will portray that person in a favorable light.

But, up to this point, the series has been refreshingly honest about both the good and the bad.

Michael Jordan pulled no punches in talking about how much he hated (and still hates) Isiah Thomas and the Detroit Pistons. Surely some of that comes from his failures in three consecutive postseasons from an ultra-competitive person. But he also made it clear that he resented the way the Bad Boys walked off the court in 1991.

The irony is that Jordan was, by no means, considered a good sport in his time. He routinely treated teammates, opponents, and front office staff poorly both on and off the court. His gambling issues were legendary.

We’ve seen hints of these things through interviews and candid scenes. Toward the end of episode four, Jordan spoke to a camera, saying that teammate Scott Burrell‘s parents should know he’s an alcoholic. The first set of episodes depicted him regularly and openly mocking Jerry Krause.

But will we get any real deep look into that dynamic? Based on how things have gone so far, we can hope for that. But if those issues aren’t fully fleshed out, it will seem like an oversight of the series.