Iba’t-iba ang naging reaksiyon sa ika-9-10 o huling yugto ng “The Last Dance” ESPN/NetFlix document series tungkol kay National Basketball Association Hall of Fame legend Michael Jordan at sa Chicago Bulls.
Isa na dito ang reputasyon ni Jordan na tila isang ‘jerk’ sa kanyang mga kakampi.
Gayunman mas naipakita ni MJ ang mas malambot niyang pananaw sa mga tao na sadyang nakakakilala sa kanya.
Sa huling dalawang episode ng seryena ipinalabas noong Lunes (Manila time), aminado ang anak ng Chicago great na si Jasmine na nakahinga nang maluwag ang kanyang ama.
Ipinakita ang pagiging malapit ni Jordan kay Gus Lett, ang security guard niya habang naglalaro sa Bulls. “Jordan had a real warm spot with his security guards,” ani Ahmad Rashad kay Lett.
Si Lett ang dating Chicago police officer at kilala na “bit of a bad ass back in the day,” ayon sa kaibigan ni Jordan na si George Koehler. Nakaibigan ni Lett si Jordan nang mabali ang paa sa ikalawang taon tungo sa pagiging matalik na magkaibigan ng dalawa.
“When people felt they were entitled to certain things, Gus put them straight,” sabi ni Jordan. “That was Gus. He was a protector, but he was more than that. I saw him for being more than that.”
Lubhang naging malapit at tila naging father figure si Lett para kay Jordan, laluna noong namatay ang tunay na ama noong 1993 matapos mabaril sa North Carolina.
“[Jordan] would call him crying at two o’clock in the morning, and Gus would get up and go to him,” bigkas lamag ni Tisher Lett, ang asawa ni Gus. “Whatever he needed, he would take care of him.”
“I had to have him next to me everywhere I went,” sambit ni Jordan. .
Noong 1998, nasuri Lett na may lung cancer. Iniulat sa Tampa Bay Times na tinulungan ni Jordan bayaran ang pagpapagamot at siniguro na maipasok ito sa Northwestern Hospital.
“Michael was the first one to notice him being sick,” sabi ni Tisher. “They were traveling some place and he called me to tell me, Tisher, you have to take him to the doctor. “He was there in the hospital with us, he was there in my home. He was there for him.”
Huling parte ng 1998, sulkamang si Jordan at ang Bulls sa pinakamahirap na laban ng kanilang dynasty run para sa Eastern Conference Finals kontra Indiana. Itinulak ng Pacers ang Bulls sa Game 7, na ikalawang beses na naganap sapul sa kanilang unang titulo.
Bago ang Game 7, nagbalik si Lett sa kanyang leave of absence sa United Center, payat at halos 20 pounds ang nabawas sa timbang. Dito siniguro ni Jordan na mananalo sila sa laro na mismong napanood ni Lett sa sideline.
Matapos ang laro, ibinigay dito ni Jordan ang game ball.
“He was an inspiration,” panapos na namutawi kay His Airness. “I wanted to win this game for Gus.” (Lito Oredo)