Why The Last Dance Was Everything I Wanted It To Be

Growing up in Illinois, I felt the lasting effect of Michael Jordan’s legacy every day. All of my basketball-loving friends tried to emulate his style, confidence, and performance on and off the court. His sneakers were status symbols indicative of an awareness to both sports and streetwear culture, signaling to others that you knew all about the greatest player of all time. Jordan’s reign ended after winning his sixth NBA championship just months before I was born. I was able to watch Derrick Rose’s historic MVP season with the Chicago Bulls, but nothing he did came close to the greatness and dominance Jordan consistently delivered. Highlight reels and research taught me who Jordan was as a player to some extent, but it wasn’t until the long-awaited documentary The Last Dance that I got a real sense of the magnitude Jordan’s career and legacy carried. The Last Dance was everything I wanted it to be.

It’s easy to forget athletes are people, too, when they’re performing at a nonhuman level. For all of the MVP seasons, scoring titles, championship rings, and “How did he just do that?!” moments which made up Jordan’s career, it’s easy to forget that he was also an emotionally complex individual trying to navigate uncharted territory for an NBA player, because no one had ever achieved his level of success and stardom up until his career. The Last Dance offered a rare and insightful peak behind the curtain, explaining Jordan’s mentality, decision-making process, and personal reflections for the amazing career he had. I wound up appreciating him more not only as a player, but also as a man.

The interpersonal relationships NBA players, coaches, and managers have with each other have always fascinated me. There’s a certain level of politics involved in the moves made by organizations, and creating a legacy requires a multifaceted, coordinated effort from many highly skilled individuals. The Last Dance revealed how Jordan pushed his teammates to greatness, respected his opponents, and dealt with coaches, owners, and the press all at the same time. It’s interesting to me that Jordan seems to maintain good relationships with most of his colleagues and competitors over the years despite their intense rivalries on the court.

This documentary also filled the holes and gaps of knowledge I had about Jordan’s career. His early playoff losses, his stint playing minor league baseball in-between threepeats, and his personal struggles with gambling and the death of his father were all explained very well by The Last Dance. The highlight reels and never-before-seen footage were spectacular, as well, frequently sending shivers down my spine.

To me, it’s simple. Michael Jordan is, undisputedly, the greatest NBA basketball player to ever step foot on court. His undefeated finals record, his larger-than-life celebrity status off the court, and the professionalism which matched his unmatchable skill speak for themselves. In the time of crisis we find ourselves in, it is great to reflect on greatness. The Last Dance allowed us all to do just that, and that is why it was everything I wanted it to be. Thanks for reading.

The NBA Season Has Been Suspended

Last night was quite eventful. Within the span of only an hour, the United States banned travel from Europe for the next thirty days, Tom Hanks confirmed that he tested positive for COVID-19, and the NBA suspended its season indefinitely due to Utah Jazz member Rudy Gobert contracting the virus. Since then, it has been confirmed that Gobert’s teammate Donovan Mitchell has come down with the virus as well, which is likely to be the beginning of many more reports of prominent players confirming cases.

Gobert is being blamed online for spreading the virus due to his recent carefree and reckless behavior. At the end of a recent press conference, Gobert seemingly mocked those who have taken precautions in regards to COVID-19, intentionally touching every microphone at the podium. The video of this incident is extremely cringe-inducing now, knowing that he was likely asymptomatically carrying the virus at the time of the video. The former defensive player of the year just shut down the whole league.

With the playoffs quickly approaching, it’s unclear as to how the league is going to handle the rest of the season. This is likely going to end up being long-lasting and have an impact on most of our lives over the next few months, so no one is sure as to what happens next. Not only are thousands of people currently suffering from the virus, but tens of millions of dollars are going to be lost from the NBA canceling the foreseeable games, a trend already becoming clear just from looking at the stock market recently.

These are scary times. I’ve been trying to keep my head up and maintain a positive attitude as much as possible, but it seems that this pandemic is truly going to be damaging globally. I’ll likely be posting more about COVID-19 and related events as they come up short. In the mean time, wash your hands and try not to get too down about the world. Thanks for reading.

Rest In Peace, Kobe Bryant

This afternoon, it was confirmed that husband, father, author, and legendary Laker Kobe Bryant lost his life in a helicopter crash along with eight other individuals, including Bryant’s daughter Gianna. The massive outpour of support and condolences since then continues, reflecting the impact that Kobe had not only on the NBA, but on the country and world as a whole. This is truly heartbreaking.

Kobe Bryant is such a special figure in my eyes because of his relentless mindset. His “Mamba Mentality” was the definition of determination and hard-work, and will live on through the millions who will replicate it forever. Kobe’s dedication to his craft led him to winning five NBA championship titles for the Los Angeles Lakers, and he is undoubtably in the conversation for the best basketball player of all time. What’s truly sad is that he only just retired, and his second act looked so promising. On and off of the court, Kobe matured into an honorable and respectable man worthy of all the praise in the world.

I’m shocked that he’s gone. Watching Kobe play basketball motivated me to play and to improve my game. While I don’t play much anymore, the “Mamba Mentality” that he built still goes into what I’m able to do every day in other aspects of life. Gone but never forgotten. Rest in peace Kobe Bryant, and all the other lives lost in this tragedy. Hold your loved ones close every day - tomorrow is never promised.

A Mid-Season Perspective From A Chicago Sports Fan

As Thanksgiving turns into Black Friday and Christmas is right around the corner, the NFL regular season is nearing completion and the NBA season is settling in nicely. As a Chicago sports fan this year really should no different than usual, with me being disappointed in my teams and all, but for some reason I’m remaining optimistic about the futures of my beloved Bears and Bulls.

Let’s start with the Bears. As we all know, last year’s winning season led by one of the best defenses in the league ended abruptly with Cody Parkey’s infamous double-doink. Even through that heartbreak, there was the promise of a potentially bright future in the Windy City. This season has had its ups and downs, with lots of upset fans ready to move on from former second overall draft pick QB Mitchell Trubisky. I’m not one of those fans. Last season, every Bears fan was praising him as the franchise quarterback Chicago has been waiting for for years. His struggles this season (which really aren’t all that bad) are against one of the most difficult schedules in the league. Some minor changes in this upcoming offseason paired with an easier schedule next year could lead to another playoff run for my Chicago Bears - it’s too soon to blow it all up already.

The Bulls are in a similar position. A disappointing 6-13 opening to the season has led to many fans wanting to completely restart the rebuilding process. I was lucky enough to see this exciting young team play the local Atlanta Hawks thanks to my amazing girlfriend getting tickets for us, and the Bulls’ route of the Hawks made me very optimistic for this young team’s future. The building blocks are there, they just need to be coached and given the experience needed to realize their full potential. There are still bright moments, though, like their recent come-from-behind miracle win against Charlotte or Zach Lavine’s 360 fast break dunks. Too soon to give up on this young team.

Maybe it’s just me maturing and taking sports results less seriously than I used to, but I’m feeling much more optimistic than I should be about the Bears’ and Bulls’ futures. I’m just glad that I get to watch young, entertaining teams with the hope of a bright future for these franchises. Their time will come.

2019-'20 NBA Record Predictions That Will Probably Be Wrong

It seems that the chaos that has been the last few weeks of the NBA off-season is slowly starting to settle down. We now have a pretty good idea as to who will be playing on each team and can now start predicting how new pairings will mesh together as well as whether unchanged teams will be able to return to form come tip-off time in the fall. This post will be predicting and explaining the records of the NBA teams I believe will make the playoffs next season. I’m likely very, very wrong here, but hopefully my reasoning is logical enough to follow. Also, no, I don’t think either my Bulls or Hawks will make it unfortunately. That being said, let's get into it.

Eastern Conference:

1. Milwaukee Bucks (58-24): The young Bucks led the way in the Eastern Conference last season, and having only made minor but effective moves this off-season, I see them leading the pack again in 2019-20. Last season’s league MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo recently stated that he thinks he’s only performing at 60% of his potential, which if true, should terrify the league. The Bucks are in good hands with Mike Budenholzer at the helm as head coach, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see a finals run by Milwaukee next year.

2. Philadelphia 76ers (56-26): Another case of youth which has trusted the process finds itself in the #2 spot of the Eastern Conference in my projections. The acquisition of Al Horford makes Philly’s front court of he and Joel Embiid one of most fearsome big-men duos in the league. A lack of shooters may give the 76ers some difficulty against certain opponents, especially come playoff time, but not enough to keep them under 50 wins next season.

3. Boston Celtics (52-30): Swapping out Kyrie Irving and putting in Kemba Walker at the point guard position shouldn’t be too much of a hiccup for this young Boston team. Gordon Hayward is increasingly returning to his pre-injury form, and young talent like Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown continue to impress. It may take some time for this newly assembled unit to maximize their chemistry together, but I see another good season coming out of Boston next year.

4. Indiana Pacers (50-32): Assuming that Victor Oladipo plays at his usual pre-injury level, I see Indiana as being a tough team next season. There isn’t much to be said here besides the fact that I do not think Indiana will regress next season, but instead improve and show that they’re a team worthy of praise.

5. Brooklyn Nets (46-26): This is why I absolutely hate injuries in the NBA. It will be another year until we see Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant play alongside one another due to KD’s achilles injury which will likely sideline him for the 2019-20 season. I still see Brooklyn being incredibly fun to watch, but nowhere near the top of their conference and likely a first round exit come playoff time. Come back in ‘20-’21.

6. Toronto Raptors (45-27): It isn’t over for Toronto even though Kawhi Leonard is gone. This was a team good enough to make it to and win an NBA Finals against tough competition because of spirit, grit, determination, and heart. Nick Nurse will lead this team back to the playoffs, and I expect another valiant effort from the Canada-representing NBA champs next season.

7. Miami Heat (43-29): Any team who lands Jimmy G. Buckets is likely to benefit, at least on the court, from such an acquisition. I’m excited to see what kind of fight this team has to give next season, and won’t be surprised when the Heat return to the playoffs next season.

8. Orlando Magic (41-31): The Orlando Magic are slowly just surely cementing their spot as the constant 7/8 seed in the Eastern Conference playoff picture. Nikola Vucevic and Aaron Gordon will power their way to north of 40 wins, just enough to be eliminated by a far superior team in the first round of the playoffs.

Western Conference:

1. Los Angeles … Clippers (62-20): Not only did the LA Clippers entice two-time NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard to join their squad, which would’ve been a feat enough in its own right, but they were also able to pair him with perennial NBA all-star and defensive beast Paul George. The defensive ceiling for this team is sky high with Patrick Beverly, PG, and the Klaw harassing opposing offensive units on every possession. I just don’t see this not working.

2. Denver Nuggets (58-24): This team is so much fun to watch. Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray’s chemistry will continue to develop as Denver makes their way back toward the top of a very stacked Western Conference playoff picture next year.

3. Utah Jazz (55-27): No one should be sleeping on the Utah Jazz, especially after landing underrated all-star Mike Conley this off-season. Donovan Mitchell, Rudy Gobert, and Joe Inges continue to prove their worthiness to be considered as one of the top squads in the West, and maybe this is the year that they make another real playoff push.

4. Houston Rockets (54-28): While everyone is excited that Houston acquired Russell Westbrook from the Oklahoma City Thunder, I’m wary of how this pairing will be able to perform on the court. You can read more about that in my post here. Houston, to me, just doesn’t have the play style that it’s going to take to win it all in this new NBA-era. I expect a decent season, but another playoff disappointment resulting in an early departure accompanied by lots of finger-pointing.

5. Los Angeles Lakers (50-32): The Lakers would be much higher in my projected rankings if they hadn’t traded away their entire roster for Anthony Davis. I’m sure LeBron and The Brow will be dominant on most nights, and the Lakers were smart to not acquire a third superstar which would’ve negated any possible depth they’ve added to their roster, but I’m still worried about any possible injuries as The King continues to add mileage. Any team with LeBron James isn’t going to show their teeth during the regular season, anyway, so the 5 seed seems appropriate here.

6. Portland Trailblazers (49-33): It feels like a disservice to put Portland this low on the list. Damian Lillard and company continually show how much spirit and ingenuity they have to knock teams out of the playoffs in the most unforgettable ways possible. Any team that has to go up against Portland come playoff time has their work cut out for them.

7. Golden State Warriors (47-35): I think Golden State Warrior fans are still in denial. The superteam’s run will never be forgotten and the highlights will always be entertaining, but this just isn’t the same team anymore. Kevin Durant is now a Brooklyn Net and Klay Thompson will likely miss a majority of the upcoming season due to injury. D’Angelo Russell will need to acclimate to Golden State’s system, and their depth is nearly non-existent in losing Andre Iguodala and Quinn Cook. The Warriors will almost definitely be a first-round exit next year, but it will be fun to watch Stephen Curry put on a show all season long.

8. San Antonio Spurs (46-36): With Gregg Popovich leading things, it’s almost impossible to count the Spurs out of the playoff hunt. DeMar DeRozan and LaMarcus Aldridge still pair together nicely, and there’s enough depth here to land a playoff spot. Tim Duncan joining SAS as an assistant coach will likely help things as well.

Next season is setting up to be one of the most authentically entertaining in recent memory. A sense of seeming parity makes me excited but also makes these sort of predictions difficult to make, which is why my listings are likely to come back as wholly inaccurate. I hope that the logic behind my projections makes enough sense. I can’t wait for the return of NBA basketball. How do you think things will shake up?