'Dream Team,' Jordan's fame among hot topics in 'Last Dance' episodes 5-6

“Is it Sunday yet?”

It’s the rhetorical question that has become popular among sports fans hungry for more episodes of “The Last Dance” docuseries about Michael Jordan and the 1997-98 Bulls team. The 10-part series, which premieres two new episodes each Sunday night, already has surpassed “Tiger King” as the most in-demand documentary in the world.

Episodes 3 and 4 averaged 5.9 million viewers last week and generated buzz with a focus on the rivalry between the Pistons and Bulls. The most intense segments surrounded Isiah Thomas and other players leaving the court before shaking hands with Jordan and the Bulls near the end of the 1991 Eastern Conference finals.

That interaction created buzz this week in the Jordan-Thomas rivalry, with Jordan disputing Thomas’ assertion that leaving the court without giving handshakes was part of that era the NBA.

There’s more coming Sunday at 9 p.m. in Episode 5 on another contentious topic — whether Jordan helped keep Thomas off the 1992 U.S. Olympics “Dream Team” that won the gold medal. It’s among several revelations in the behind-the-scenes storytelling of director Jason Hehir, who also did ESPN’s 30 for 30 presentation of Michigan’s Fab Five.

More: How we got here: Grading the Pistons’ drafts from a lost decade

Here are some intriguing tidbits — The Detroit News obtained a preview version — of Sunday’s two episodes (and yes, there’s some element of spoilers for those who would rather wait):

► In a timely tribute to the late Kobe Bryant, the teaser and opening of Episode 5 features interactions between Jordan and Bryant at the 1998 All-Star Game. Bryant, then the 19-year-old wunderkind who was an All-Star in his second NBA season, shows his bravado by asking to defend Jordan — only to be baptized by one of Jordan’s baseline fadeaways — with Jordan on his way to earning his third All-Star MVP.

Bryant, among more than 100 interviews for the documentaries, reflected on his pupil-mentor relationship with Jordan: “I had a question about shooting his turnaround shot, so I asked him about it. He gave me a great detailed answer, but on top of all that, (Jordan) said, ‘If you ever need anything, give me a call.' He’s like my big brother.”

► In Episodes 3 and 4, Jordan voiced his distaste for Thomas and the Pistons in the years before the Bulls won their first of three straight championships. When asked about whether he kept Thomas off the 1992 Dream Team, Jordan had a different tone.

“I respect Isiah Thomas’ talent. To me, the best point guard of all time is Magic Johnson and right behind him is Isiah Thomas. No matter how much I hate him, I respect his game,” Jordan said. “It was insinuated that I was asking about him (being left off), but I never threw his name in there.”

Some of the onus for Thomas’ omission is put on other Dream Team members, and more than a talent and skill issue, the prevailing notion was that the team benefited from having better chemistry without Thomas.

► One of the interesting themes is Jordan’s ascension to becoming a global icon, including getting his first shoe deal with Nike — though he initially wanted to be with Adidas — and his insistence on staying out of politics and social issues. The teaser for Episode 6 includes Jordan’s chilling reminder about the price of fame and not being able to easily go out in public:

“This is not one of those lifestyles that you envy, where you’re confined to this (hotel) room,” he said. “I’m ready for getting out of this life. You know when you get to that point. I’m there, with no reservations at all, I’m there.”

The first few episodes have had a keen balance of Jordan’s Bulls teammates prominently, including Dennis Rodman, Scottie Pippen and coach Phil Jackson. Hehir weaves in the backstories from the early part of the dynasty with the main storyline of the 1997-98 season to provide appropriate context.

There are some references to some of the challenges Jordan faced off the court as well, including in the “Jordan Rules” book that highlighted his dominant personality and his well-publicized issues with gambling and getting away from the media spotlight before his first retirement.     

Rod.Beard@detroitnews.com

Twitter: @detnewsRodBeard