The Last Dance Proves Michael Jordan is a GOAT

Six championships in a span of eight years. Six Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP) awards. Five NBA MVP awards. The list goes on.

In the past, many have been engaging in nonstop debates with regards to whether or not Michael Jordan is the greatest player of all-time to play not just in the National Basketball Association (NBA), but perhaps, the greatest basketball player in the history of the sports itself. Some may even think that Bill Russell should be considered as the GOAT owing to the fact that he won 11 NBA championships but given that Bill Russell and Michael Jordan played in two completely different eras so it's nonsense to compare two players from two different eras.  

And while the GOAT debate isn't going to end any time soon, the conclusion of "The Last Dance" yesterday not only reminded viewers why Michael Jordan is the greatest of all-time. It solidified His Royal Airness' status as indeed the greatest basketball player to ever step onto this planet. While he did majestic things on the court including scoring 45 points in the championship-clinching Game Six win of the 1998 NBA Finals, the things that Jordan did off the court was something that separated him from the rest of the pack.

For one, his tough leadership practices whether it was with the Chicago Bulls or with the 1992 Dream Team, is something that was tackled for lengths in the 10-episode documentary to the point some of Jordan's teammates with the Bulls had to fight off the toughness. And in the end, even Steve Kerr, who got punched by Jordan in the face, admitted that Jordan's toughness on them has brought the best out of the rest of the team adding that His Royal Airness wouldn't ask his teammates to do something that he himself won't do. In the documentary, Jordan explained that he needed to be tough on his teammates because he needed them to carry the fight with him and frankly, that's exactly what happened. 

Another aspect of the game that made Jordan as arguably the greatest player of all-time is having the "win-at-all-cost" mentality. If it meant him carrying the whole team just to win, so be it. If it meant him being a bad teammate due to his toughness, so be it. If it meant him playing in Game Five of the 1997 NBA Finals despite suffering from food poisoning, so be it. If it meant him playing extended minutes in Game Six of the 1998 Finals because Scottie Pippen was hurt, so be it. That is what separates Jordan as a true leader and a legendary icon.

This GOAT debate isn't going to fade into the night easily but if there's one thing that The Last Dance proved, Michael Jordan's being the GOAT goes beyond his accolades. That him being the greatest of all-time boiled down to how he changed the game forever and left a long-lasting effect not just to basketball but more importantly, to the lives of people. 

Photo is from Chicago Sun-Times