Episode five will look into the close relationship of Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant
Art by Saii Shah | Photo from NBA.com
If you’re a Kobe Bryant or Los Angeles Lakers fan, you can’t afford to miss the fifth episode of “The Last Dance.”
The 50-minute episode will look into the growing relationship of Michael Jordan and Bryant in the late ‘90s, with rare footage of Jordan talking about his first impressions of the 18-year old Bryant as well as how their relationship grew over the years.
Bryant was drafted by the Lakers in 1996—the same year Jordan won his fourth NBA championship. The documentary will feature the two seasons Bryant faced off against Jordan, including the 1998 All Star Game before the former reached the peak of his career.
According to LA Times sports columnist Arash Markazi, Bryant was interviewed for the documentary in July 2019 with the corresponding scene edited the week before his passing. The production crew then decided to look back on the edited scene but decided to keep it as is since it was already the perfect tribute for the five-time NBA champion. The only edit made was the dedication for Bryant at the start of the episode.
Jordan and Bryant’s relationship has mostly been under the radar for the past couple of years. It was only during Bryant’s funeral in February when Jordan opened up about how he always saw Bryant as a little brother. Basketball fans have always known that Bryant was and always will be the closest they’ll ever have to another Michael Jordan.
The Kobe Bryant episode can be streamed today, May 4 at 3:01 p.m. on Netflix.