To say that The Last Dance captured the hearts and minds of viewers upon its debut would be an understatement. For weeks, viewers – both sports fans and casual viewers alike – watched the exploits of Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and the rest of the ‘90s-era Chicago Bulls. It’s anyone’s guess whether the docuseries changed the way the public viewed the team. What I know for sure, however, is that producer Jake Rogal told CinemaBlend he’s still riding high off the experience and that it changed his life in a few chuckleworthy ways.
While Jake Rogal was promoting his latest doc, Court of Gold (a recent release on Netflix’s 2025 schedule), I had the opportunity to speak with him. As a fan, I couldn’t help but ask about his recollections of The Last Dance’s release in 2020. Rogal admitted that it still somewhat feels like a “dream,” but he definitely still relishes not only the whirlwind of the release but the making of the production as well:
It feels kind of like a dream, to be honest with you, because of it ending during the pandemic, pushing the schedule u [and] the reaction to it all. The fact that we were able to get as close to Michael as we did, everything just — it feels like it didn't really happen. It's so surreal and, when you really think about it, it's so out of body that when I think back on it, I have a hard time remembering a lot of it, because it was just so foreign to me. So I think about that.
The 10-part basketball doc was going to be released during the summer of 2020 following the NBA season that year. However, Disney and ESPN moved up the release date as a way of providing entertainment for the masses amid the quarantine brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Director Jason Hehir’s docuseries was met with high ratings and critical acclaim, which was parlayed into a follow-up special. I’m just a fan, but that turbulent period of time even feels like a blur to me too. So I understand where the producer is coming from.
When it comes to how Jake Rogal’s life has changed since, the likely assumption would be that his profile as a documentarian has risen and that he can now say he’s contributed to an Emmy-winning doc. It would seem that there are a few side effects of the project that’s proven to be more personal for Rogal. As he humorously explained, one of them has to do with something that’s become synonymous with NBA GOAT Michael Jordan:
I notice more Bulls things around, more Jordans around. Every time I walk down the street, I'm looking at people's shoes, and I see how many people have Jordans [and that] is something I was never aware of before The Last Dance. So I think just the prevalence of Michael and the Bulls is still in pop culture, and it's amazing that the sustainability of him and that team is something that still resonates with me.
There is indeed still a lot of interest in the Bulls of yesteryear, especially Michael Jordan, who remains a pop culture icon today. I’d argue that the doc helped reignite interest in not just the Chicago teams of the ‘90s but the NBA of that era as a whole. You can chalk that up to excellent archive footage and excellent anecdotes from Charles Barkley, John Stockton and more. The doc also perfectly celebrates and encapsulates the culture of the decade. I mean, it even features the seemingly ageless Carmen Electra after all.
If I were in Jake Rogal’s shoes (which may or may not be Air Jordans), I’d probably be looking at people’s kicks as well after making that doc. His comments speak to the lasting impact that the project has on him, and I hope he continues to relish his memories of The Last Dance. Check out the doc for yourself now using a Netflix subscription and, while you’re at it, stream Court of Gold as well as other sports documentaries worth checking out.
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