3 takeaways from episodes 7 and 8 of The Last Dance, ESPN’s MJ doc

In the second-to-last week of ESPN’s MJ doc, The Last Dance, we are given a glimpse into multiple aspects of Michael Jordan rarely shown to the public.

Michael Jordan might’ve been leaning towards retirement in 1993. After viewing episodes seven and eight of ESPN’s MJ doc, The Last Dance, there’s no question the murder of his father James pushed him to baseball — and not David Stern.

When MJ called it quits, the Chicago Bulls had to move on. They did better than most would’ve expected but not without their own drama thanks to Scottie Pippen.

Jordan was a tremendous player. That didn’t translate to being a great teammate. We see the struggle former teammates like B.J. Armstrong and Bill Wennington have in explaining that distinct difference. After all, it was hard to argue with MJ’s tactics given the glory it brought.

A majority of that reputation was built on Jordan’s self-motivation tactics. They border on mythical because that was where he had to go at times to stoke his fire — hello, LaBradford Smith.

Jordan’s foray into baseball raises the hypothetical of how Chicago would fare in his presence in 1994 and with a full season under his belt in 1995. An equally intriguing what-if lies in the scenario that sees MJ continue his trek to Major League Baseball.

Episodes seven and eight mark the second-to-last segments of the only consistent sports content in the lives of many during this time. It marks a bitter-sweet countdown without much else to look forward to.

The endpoint of the journey is one known by all for more than two decades, culminating in Chicago’s sixth championship. What we’ll learn in the final reminisce is sure to contain more of the same juicy anecdotes that have already made The Last Dance such a compelling watch.