They can’t wait to see ‘The Last Dance’

MANILA, Philippines — Long before they rose to the ranks, numerous distinguished local coaches were once die-hard fans of the famed Chicago Bulls dynasty that revolutionized the basketball world in the 1990s.

And as the much-awaited ESPN documentary “The Last Dance” featuring Michael Jordan and the Phil Jackson-led crew airs today, Gilas Pilipinas women’s coach Patrick Aquino, Philippine youth team tactician Sandy Arespacochaga, Gilas senior team deputy coach Topex Robinson, PBA mentor John Cardel and many more all look forward to a trip down memory lane.

For them, it’s a rare opportunity, especially amidst the worldwide quarantine due to COVID-19 pandemic, to relive the highlights and behind-the-scenes of the era that influenced many a cage career.

“Growing up in the 90s which I can say is one of the best decades of basketball because of MJ and the Bulls,” said Robinson, who also serves as Lyceum head coach in the NCAA and Louie Alas’ top assistant with Phoenix in the PBA. “Most of my passion for playing and now coaching is attributed to them. I’m looking forward to reliving the moment.”

“I love everything about Jordan and the Bulls dynasty. They are one of the reasons why I am now a head coach for KIA and the Columbian franchise,” said Cardel, who started as a lethal La Salle wing guy in the UAAP.

Jordan’s and the Bulls’ great moments will be under the microscope at the start today of ESPN’s 10-part series, highlighting the Chicago’s last of its six championships in eight years before the kingdom collapsed. An exclusive crew filmed the “Last Dance” during the Bulls’ ultimate title run in 1997-1998 to cap off a second three-peat as around 100 renowned personalities were also featured to share their accounts.

Arespacochaga and Aquino can’t wait to see those behind-the-scenes and personal tales.

“I was a Bulls and Jordan fan during that time. It would be interesting to see the behind-the-scenes stories and videos including all the personal accounts of the people involved,” said Arespacochaga.

“More than his dunks and highlights, I want to see the clips from their dugout. I am curious about what happened behind the scenes and how the team handled adversity. I’m looking forward to interviews of MJ’s teammates and other NBA players on Jordan’s impact in their lives,” said Aquino.

Above all that, the series, which will start with two episodes, is about to serve as an eye-opener to all the doubters on the G-O-A-T status of Jordan and his incomparable Chicago unit.