Chicago Bulls: 5 best quotes from Episode 7 of ‘The Last Dance’

Episode 7 of ‘The Last Dance’ gave fans a riveting look inside the mind of Michael Jordan. Here are the five best quotes from the episode.

5. Phil Jackson’s selflessness

"“This was, you know, a young man that had gone through some heart-rending things. You’re denying a gift to society, but I understand. You know, I understand.” -Phil Jackson"

Coming on the heels of his father’s tragic death, Michael Jordan decided it was time to retire from the game of basketball and pursue a baseball career instead — a sport he and his father both loved dearly.

It would’ve been easy for Phil Jackson to look at the situation selfishly, trying to convince him to stay with the Bulls and chase the 4-peat. But instead, he understood what MJ was going through in his personal life and accepted his decision for what it was.

You could feel the weight of the words while Jackson was saying them. The concept of “denying a gift to society” is a pretty heavy thing to stomach, but Jackson knew it was still ultimately the right decision for Michael.

4. MJ on his mentality

"“My mentality was to go out and win, at any cost. If you don’t wanna live that regimented mentality, then you don’t need to be alongside of me, ’cause I’m gonna ridicule you until you get on the same level with me. And if you don’t get on the same level, then it’s gonna be hell for you.” -Michael Jordan"

None of this was surprising, but it’s still awesome to hear Michael Jordan explain his mentality in his own words. All he wanted was for his teammates to be on the same level as him. Was that sometimes too much to ask? Of course. Nobody can ever be on the same level as MJ in any situation. But that’s how Jordan approached the concept of leadership, and I’d say it worked pretty well for him.

3. B.J. Armstrong on if Jordan was a “nice guy”

"“Was he a nice guy? He couldn’t have been nice. With that kind of mentality he had, you can’t be a nice guy. He would be difficult to be around if you didn’t truly love the game of basketball. He is difficult.” -B.J. Armstrong”"

That quote pretty much sums up the essence of Michael Jeffrey Jordan.

B.J. Armstrong didn’t say he was nice, but he also didn’t seem to slight him for it. There’s a level of greatness that Jordan achieved that he couldn’t have achieved if he was a “nice guy.” He demanded greatness from himself and everyone around him, and he wouldn’t settle for less, no matter what it took to get there.

2. Jordan wanting everyone to know the feeling of winning

"“I wanted to win, but I wanted them to win and be a part of that, as well.” -Michael Jordan"

This was a really interesting quote. It showed that Jordan wasn’t one of those athletes that only wanted to win for selfish reasons. Even though MJ would berate his teammates, it seems like he genuinely loved and cared for them. He didn’t want to be the only one winning — he wanted it for everyone on the team.

1. An emotional MJ talking about his way of playing basketball

"“Look, I don’t have to do this. I’m only doing it because it is who I am. That’s how I played the game. That was my mentality. If you don’t wanna play that way, don’t play that way. Break.” -Michael Jordan"

This was my favorite moment of The Last Dance thus far. Watching the superhero that is Michael Jordan get emotional while discussing the competitive way he approached the game of basketball was pure magic. Then, having him call for a break from filming as he started to tear up? That level of authenticity from MJ was truly special and was something I’ll always remember.