Hopefully ESPN's 'The Last Dance' Encourages MJ to Return to the Public Eye

We're hopeful that Michael Jordan's documentary causes him to get back in the public eye.

Transcript

00:00 When Michael Jordan was a junior at North Carolina, he was featured in Sports Illustrated,

00:04 photographed in his dorm room. What did he think of all the attention? Jordan told the local media

00:10 with a smile, "The publicity's been fun, I have to admit. All in all, it's fun to be noticed."

00:15 That feeling, of course, wouldn't last long. Smothered by the attention that came with being

00:21 a global superstar, and remember, this was before the internet and social media and the selfie,

00:26 Jordan retreated deeper and deeper. You can hardly blame the guy, ask anyone who's wrestled with it,

00:33 and they'll tell you that fame is an evil, fickle, invasive monster. But Jordan became

00:38 that rare species, known to everyone and yet known by very few. One reason crying Jordan persists,

00:46 it was one of the few public snapshots the world got of the guy. History is part of what makes The

00:52 Last Dance, the Michael Jordan documentary now debuting on ESPN, the most anticipated sports

00:58 event of this COVID-19 period. We are all suckers for nostalgia. We want to be reminded of those

01:05 Bulls teams from the 90s and Jordan's soaring excellence. But a lot of the appeal of the film

01:10 is also tied with seeing Jordan in the present. Who is this guy now? What does he have to say for

01:16 himself? Athletes owe us nothing. They're not public trusts. They're not there for our amusement.

01:22 Let's be clear about that. But compare Jordan and his profile to his peers. Charles Barkley is

01:28 everyone's new friend at the bar. Magic Johnson is still out there wheeling and dealing a man

01:33 about town. Peyton Manning may not want to be in an NFL broadcast booth this fall, but he's still

01:39 out there too. Before them, Muhammad Ali was more transformative in the after sports parts of his

01:45 career than he was in the ring. Don't expect Jordan to start hawking Campbell's soup or serving as a

01:52 sideline reporter. Don't expect Jordan to climb out of the Hornets' owner's box and start holding

01:57 impromptu interviews in the hallway. But if this documentary gives Jordan a little more comfort

02:03 being back in the public, that might be its most enduring legacy. Michael Jordan, you've been missed.

02:09 Your fans and the adoring public would like a few more dances.

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