The Last Dance: Things we learned from episodes 5 & 6

Episodes 5 and 6 of ESPN’s The Last Dance dove deep into the psychological anatomy of Michael Jordan. So what all did we learn?

Alright, I think it’s safe to say that we’ve now entered into the more succulent portions of what fans have tastefully clamored for so religiously throughout ESPN’s MJ doc, The Last Dance. Now, this isn’t to say that the last four renditions of the showcase have not been full of surprises and rollercoaster twist-and-turns of the utmost magnitude, but we’ve entered into the territory that has undoubtedly been the most sought-after from fans searching for content impossible to be had anywhere else.

And we did so in stunning fashion.

Episodes five and six of the docuseries were comprehensive behind-the-curtain peeks at many of the more personal anecdotal shades of the greatness – and perhaps lack thereof that surrounded the full-on megastar known as Michael Jordan.

Basketball fans needed nary a documentary to make them fully aware of the immense level of global outreach that Jordan possessed during his playing heyday.

All it takes is a simple stroll through your local park or school to gather an understanding of how deeply the reach of his shoe brand and the culture that surrounds that luminous “His Airness” logo has permeated its way into a multitude of urban societies.

And to think of the game itself, and of those who’ve played it at the highest level likely conjures up thoughts of one of those tongue-out, gravity-defying displays of inhuman athletic proportions with automation in the minds of most.

It’s inevitable.

So many young up-and-comers of the late ’80s and early ’90s could only dream of being just “like Mike.” It’s why many can attest to nearly bursting their piggy banks with coins, cash and checks in hopes of one day turning their patient stashing into the ultimate check: that monumental Nike one.

But as we’ve come to understand throughout these episodes, being “like Mike” wasn’t necessarily all it was cracked up to be. In fact, it was actually an incredibly daunting and draining responsibility.

And it was in the program’s most recent chapters that we began to fully grasp the personal struggles of self-restraint and accountability that flashed the human side of the man we’ve unintentionally come to associate with divinity. Here are the things we gained from episodes 5 and 6.