Luc Longley opens up on Michael Jordan and The Last Dance

Luc Longley has opened up on his relationship with former teammate Michael Jordan and how, despite not appearing in the documentary, the Last Dance changed his life.

Australian basketball legend Luc Longley has opened up on his relationship with his former teammate Michael Jordan.

Longley and Jordan were part of the Chicago Bulls’ second NBA three-peat in the late 1990s.

“I say that I’m grateful for what he gave us as a team, what he provided — you just can’t find that, you don’t get to be around that,’’ Longley said.

“I’ve got nothing bad to say about MJ, I think he’s a special character.

“The message from me is that he drove a lot of what we did. Not just the on court, but he practiced harder than anyone, he played harder than anyone else, he cared more than anyone else. It was a derivative of all that that made him so special.

Longley says The Last Dance has been life changing. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

“Someone like me who was learning to do all that I could just slip in behind him. He was at the front of the train breaking all the ice and I was down the back and happy about it.

“It made it a lot of fun. The game is really simple when you play with a guy like Michael Jordan so my game was able to flourish. It’s a bit like playing paint ball with an elephant, everyone wants to shoot the elephant and I’m sneaking around in the shrubs and not such a target.”

Longley was in Melbourne on Friday to attend the All-American Events (AEE) exclusive one-of-a-kind NBA Finals Game 1 Party at Marvel Stadium.

Luc Longley and Michael Jordan won three championships as teammates.

Despite not being in the Netflix documentary The Last Dance he said it was life changing.

“People are always interested, (saying) were you dirty about the Last Dance and not being in it,’’ Longley said.

“Not really and it’s hard to compete with Scotty (Pippen) and Denis (Rodman) and I get it. In actual fact the making of that doco has changed my life because suddenly I’m making Australian Story and there’s interest again and it has impact whethere I was in it or not.”

Longley is also in town for the 25 year celebration NBA release of his Bulls jersey.

The part owner of the Sydney Kings in the NBL says the local game is in good shape.

“It’s in an exciting place and attendance is rising, talent levels are coming up and the level of professionalism is too,’’ Longley said.

Originally published as Luc Longley opens up on Michael Jordan and The Last Dance