The Last Dance: America reacts to Michael Jordan documentary
Social media went into meltdown as the Chicago Bulls documentary hit screens across America, with Michael Jordan front and centre.
American basketball fans collectively lost their minds at 11am (AEST) when the first two episodes of the long-awaited documentary The Last Dance went live.
The 10-part series follows the Chicago Bulls in their 1997/98 season when they captured their sixth NBA championship as Michael Jordan takes centre stage.
READ: How to watch The Last Dance in Australia
Australian fans eager to get among the action did their best to avoid social media as tweets flew in at a million miles an hour while Americans lapped up the trip down memory lane.
From Jordan spilling the beans on Chicago’s “cocaine circus”, to Scottie Pippen being slapped by a teammate and even two former Presidents being put in their place by producers, fans loved every second of the two-hour viewing experience.
Here’s the best reaction from Stateside to the opening two episodes.
BULLS GENERAL MANAGER COPS HAMMERING
The Bulls were on top of the NBA entering the 1997/98 campaign, having won five championships in seven seasons, but General Manager Jerry Krause wanted to blow things up and start looking towards the future.
At the time his decisions irked the players and coach Phil Jackson, and viewers couldn’t believe Krause wanted to break up one of the greatest teams of all time.
READ: Villain behind break-up of Jordan’s Bulls
Twelve minutes in, and the Bulls front office of the past already looks bad.
— Keith Pompey (@PompeyOnSixers) April 20, 2020
Jerry Krause just getting slaughtered my gawd ðð¤¦ð¾ââï¸ #TheLastDance
— Damien Woody (@damienwoody) April 20, 2020
I canât imagine an NBA GM now publicly saying itâs a coachâs final season before the season even starts.
— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpearsESPN) April 20, 2020
Jerry Krause is posthumously becoming a villain, sheesh
— Omari Sankofa II (@omarisankofa) April 20, 2020
Biggest takeaway from Episode 1: Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf had the audacity to recently say that all the Bulls players except Michael were nearing the end of their careers and that it was time after 1998 to rebuild. WHAT?!?! I WAS THERE. THAT TEAM WOULD'VE WON TWO MORE.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) April 20, 2020
OBAMA COPS CHEEKY LITTLE CLIP
Former American Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton make appearances during the first two episodes, but something unusual stood out to those watching and fans couldn’t contain their laughter.
Instead of listing both men as former leaders of their country, the producers clearly had a bit of fun as they listed Obama as a “former Chicago resident”, while putting Clinton down as the “former Arkansas Governor”.
Barack Obama - Former Chicago Resident.
— Mike Curtis (@MikeACurtis2) April 20, 2020
Bill Clinton - Former Arkansas Governor.#TheLastDance is full of jokes tonight.
They donât care that Obama and Clinton were presidents lol #TheLastDance
— Kemi Fakunle (@kisseskemi) April 20, 2020
They said âBarack Obama: a former Chicago residentâ ð
— Mariah Tyler (@mphbox) April 20, 2020
I damn near fainted.
— George Wrighster III (@georgewrighster) April 20, 2020
Barack Obama âFormer Chicago Residentâ #TheLastDance pic.twitter.com/Z61McoSTwS
CHARLES OAKLEY BULLIES ROOKIE PIPPEN
If there was one player you didn’t want to mess with on the Chicago Bulls’ roster it was Charles Oakley.
A beast of a man who came to the aid of Michael Jordan every time he was knocked to the floor, Oakley wasn’t shy about throwing his weight around.
A young Scottie Pippen found out the hard way you shouldn’t try and get ahead of your more experienced teammates and one clip showed Oakley putting the rookie in his place.
Holding him by the scruff of his shirt and up against a wall, Oakley calls out Pippen in front of their teammates before slapping him in the face.
— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) April 20, 2020
That Oakley slap is what made Pippen the greatest defender ever #TheLastDance
— ð ð¶ð¾ð ð (@Suavy_) April 20, 2020
Charles Oakley was a UFC fighter before UFC #TheLastDance
— Dior Ginyard (@DiorNFLPA) April 20, 2020
charles oakley showing up in the doc just to bully someone is the most charles oakley thing of all
— Shea Serrano (@SheaSerrano) April 20, 2020
NBA PLAYERS REACT
A large portion of the current crop of NBA stars were raised on Jordan highlights and spent their youths trying to emulate the stunning array of moves His Airness pulled off night after night in his prime.
Just like everyone else, they were throughly enjoying the behind-the-curtain look at the man many consider to be basketball’s greatest ever player.
Mike from another planet lol... #TheLastDance ... Pip slept on like a mf too smh
— Damian Lillard (@Dame_Lillard) April 20, 2020
Man... so much I didnât know!#TheLastDance
— Myles Turner (@Original_Turner) April 20, 2020
63 of them thangs ð¥´
— Ja Morant (@JaMorant) April 20, 2020
âI think itâs pretty easyâ -MJ
— Trae Young (@TheTraeYoung) April 20, 2020
Basically. ð¤·ð½ââï¸
My man Scottie deserved a bag #TheLastDance
— CJ McCollum (@CJMcCollum) April 20, 2020
And this is only episode 2 ð
— Donovan Mitchell (@spidadmitchell) April 20, 2020
When they rolled the credits just now a tear came to my eye. #TheLastDance
— Spencer Dinwiddie (@SDinwiddie_25) April 20, 2020
The first two episodes of The Last Dance will air on Netflix Australia on April 20, after 5pm (AEST) with two episodes to be released every following week.