One of the NBA's greatest traditions is back on.

The current global pandemic might have put almost everything on hold. However, several things have started to open back up, the most recent one being different sports. Baseball and the WNBA started their seasons this week. Unfortunately, not all sports have good news. The NBA has been hit with one bad news story after another. But the worst story? Probably the canceling of the pre-game fashion show, where the players would walk down a tunnel, showing off their ensembles. A new policy has forced players to show up to the games in their team uniforms.

"Considering the unique environment on the NBA Disney campus and warmer weather conditions, a different policy was put in place for players' arrival and entry into the arenas," a league spokesperson said, according to ESPN.

Many are not happy. “That is crazy," Chris Tucker told ESPN in reaction to the news. "I think that takes away [from] originally what getting dressed was all about. It wasn't even about the tunnel walk, it was more about getting dressed up and going to work. To me, it's like a mindset, getting dressed and getting ready to go to my game. It puts me in the mindset that I'm ready to work and helps me find my focus."

However, the disappointment was short-lived. On Monday afternoon, ESPN reported that it was initially “misinformed by a league spokesperson" about a final ruling on the dress code. Players actually will be allowed to wear…clothing from their own wardrobe to games, which would be an astounding sentence to read under any other circumstances. The bottom line: NBA pregame fits, briefly taken from us, are back, albeit with a modified dress code. The rule was enacted with the requirement that players wear more relaxed clothing.

Report: Anna Bechtel

The NCAA is in Trouble, and Players Shouldn't Have Any Sympathy

The COVID-19 pandemic has been devastating for a lot of industries, including sports. Each league is trying to find a way to play games that don’t blatantly put the health of its players, coaches and other staff members at risk. A big reason for this is that, even during a pandemic, there is money to be made from games, and no sports organization is as desperate to generate revenue than the NCAA.

While the organization was one of the first to address the pandemic back in March when it restricted fans from attending March Madness games, before scrapping the entire tournament, it faces an even bigger challenge in the coming months: football.

The cancellation of March Madness had devastating financial consequences on the NCAA, but the cancellation of an entire football season could be even worse. The sport is a huge revenue generator for a lot of colleges and universities that are going to see a decline in attendance, and therefore tuition dollars, this fall. But while schools may be left in a very difficult situation if there is no season, by no means should any NCAA athlete for any sport have to play in the midst of a pandemic.

It makes sense that professional athletes would want to play because playing their respective sports is how they make a living, and even with that being said many across different leagues have opted out of playing. College athletes do not get paid for playing their respective sports, an entirely separate issue, therefore the only incentive for them to play is to keep their scholarships. One could argue that some student athletes would want to play anyway for simply the love of the game, but that will almost certainly not be the case.

According to the Los Angeles Times, 30 UCLA football players wrote a letter to the university last month which condemned the school for failing to protect their health and safety. This came after certain schools, like Alabama and Auburn, began training camps early and saw a surge of COVID-19 cases among the players.

Certain conferences are taking matters into their own hands. Earlier this month the Ivy League announced that no sports would be played during the fall season. Some smaller Division III conferences have also cancelled fall sports.

But schools that generate a lot of money from football and are dependent on that money, like Alabama and Auburn, are likely going to try to find a way to play. The NCAA is already staring down a very uncertain future with all of the revenue lost, so it will encourage anyway to bring in money even if it means making unpaid student athletes put the health and safety of themselves and of their families on the line.

Whether or not the NCAA will, or can, force student athletes to play has yet to be seen. We will find out come the fall, and if early training camps were any indication then resuming games guarantees many players will get infected with COVID-19. The consequences of that could be dire, and that, combined with the huge loss of revenue from March Madness, puts the NCAA’s future in uncharted territory.

Photos courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Report: Michael Rosen

Patrick Mahomes Signs Record-Setting Contract, And He Deserves It

Patrick Mahomes has secured a retirement plan for his great grandchildren. The star quarterback of the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs recently signed a 10-year extension worth $477 million, plus a potential $26 million in bonuses for a whopping $503 million. The contract ensures Mahomes will remain in Kansas City through the 2031 season.

This is the most lucrative contract in American sports history, a title previously held by Mike Trout’s 12-year $426.5 million deal with the Los Angeles Angels. Mahomes is the first professional athlete to sign a contract worth half a billion dollars, and this doesn’t even include endorsements.

It’s fair to be angry at the fact that a football player is earning half a billion dollars, especially during a global pandemic and unprecedented unemployment. Although it should be noted that artists, such as actors and musicians, who are being paid similar amounts of money are seemingly immune to the same criticism. But there is no denying that half a billion dollars is a lot of money, and, at least from a pure sport standpoint, Patrick Mahomes is one of the few professional athletes playing today who deserves that type of money.

He has only played two full seasons in the NFL, and yet he already has a Super Bowl ring, a Super Bowl MVP, a regular season MVP and threw for 50 touchdowns in a single season. He is a classic gunslinging quarterback who is considered by many to be the best in the league, and at the ripe old age of 24 it’s likely his best seasons are ahead of him. Chiefs fans aren’t upset at the amount of money he’ll be making and for good reason. Mahomes brought a championship to a franchise that hadn’t won a title in 50 years, and he looks poised to bring a few more Lombardi trophies back to Kansas City.

But just because Mahomes is locked up for the next decade does not guarantee a dynasty for Kansas City. There are plenty of elite quarterbacks, past and present, who have only one Super Bowl to their name; Brett Favre, Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees just to name a few. There’s also the fact that the Chiefs are going to be working with a tightened budget when trying to sign other players. Kansas City is not a huge market and having around $50 million dedicated to Mahomes each year for the next decade means the Chiefs probably won’t be handing out too many more huge contracts for a while. Locking up a generational talent like Mahomes was the right move, but the challenge now becomes maintaining and building upon the core around him while staying under the salary cap.

Photos courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Report: Michael Rosen

The Evolution of Athlete Social Justice Protests

At one time, it was rare that a professional athlete would speak up about anything regarding social justice. Deciding to go against that meant that ridicule would be sure to follow. This was true for Muhammad Ali, track and field stars Tommie Smith and John Carlos, who infamously stood on the awards podium with raised fists during the national anthem at the 1968 Olympic Games, Peter Norman, who was the third man on that podium with Smith and Carlos, Lebron James, and Colin Kaepernick.

In the late 1960s, boxing legend Ali decided not to enter the draft to fight in the Vietnam War. Ali was a firm believer of the Muslim principles, which is what led to his decision. With segregation still a very big part of America’s culture, many African Americans were uncomfortable with the idea of fighting for a country that did not value people that looked like them.

Following his decision to not enter the military draft, Ali sat down with some of sport’s biggest athletes to discuss his decision, which was later known as the “Ali Summit”. With the understanding that their careers would be at jeopardy, these athletes still chose to support Ali.

Carlos and Smith raising their fists to the national anthem would become one of the biggest moments in sports history. But for Peter Norman of Australia, that monumental moment would cost him his career. After expressing support for the Olympic Project for Human Rights, Australia shamed him and never selected him to be a part of another Olympic team.

Recently, many athletes have decided to participate in protests and use their platforms to address racial issues that have plagued our country for far too long. NBA players Dwight Howard and Kyrie Irving have been encouraging their fellow colleagues to sit out the rest of the season as a protest against police brutality and racial injustice.

“There will be no more sweeping harsh realities under the rug or putting band-aids on the scars just to rip them off down the line. It’s time we hold everybody accountable… Justice is demanded. Sustainable change is necessary”, says Washington Wizards player Bradley Beal.

The Washington Mystics and Wizards recently organized a protest to symbolize unity. An Instagram post made by the Washington Wizards read, “Together we stand. Our actions must speak louder than our words.” As of late, there have been several WNBA players that have decided to sit out their 2020 season to focus on social justice reform.

From the time that Ali spoke on America’s prejudices to present day, not much has changed. Athletes need to be vocal about social issues. If not, some people will act like they don’t exist.

Photo Credits:

Olympic/Black Power photo- history.com

Ali Summit photo- cleveland.com

Together We Stand photo- wjla.com

Report: Brionna Thompson

MLB Finally Has a Plan to Play Baseball in 2020, but its Future Looks Very Dim

Of all the professional sports leagues that were trying to implement a plan that would allow them to resume playing games amid the COVID-19 pandemic, MLB may have had the brightest and harshest spotlight. A bitter negotiation process between the players and owners was seemingly going nowhere; players wanted to ensure their health and safety were the highest priority and that they would be paid a fair portion of their contracts, while billionaire owners cried poor that they were losing money due to the lack of games and kept lowballing players who would be putting their well-being on the line to play baseball. Yet somehow a deal was finally reached.

After players rejected the fourth deal the owners put in front of them, the owners unanimously agreed to proceed with a 60-game season under the terms of a deal made with the MLB Player’s Association back on March 26. While there are still many kinks to work out, MLB has finally joined every other professional sports league in at least having a plan to resume games.

As is the case with every other league, the unconventional season structure raises questions in terms of the sport. How legitimate will the World Series champion be if it only had to play 60 games under unprecedented circumstances? It is much easier to bat .400, a feat no one has accomplished in nearly 80 years, in a 60-game season than the usual 162 games. If a player accomplishes that feat or any similar ones will they be considered legitimate? What makes MLB unique among other sports is how much of a marathon the regular season is. Plenty of teams have played well in their first 60 games only for things to fall apart over the next 102, which means we could see some very unusual playoff contenders.

This is of course assuming that the league actually resumes play. We have seen coronavirus cases not only spike up in many states across the country, but in clubhouses for every sport as well. We are beginning to see players opt out of the season due to the risks involved, including Ian Desmond of the Colorado Rockies, Ryan Zimmerman and Joe Ross of the defending champion Washington Nationals and Mike Leake of the Arizona Diamondbacks.

It’s becoming increasingly likely that we will not see professional sports played again in 2020. While this would be devastating to every player, fan and owner, MLB has the bleakest future of any North American professional sports league. The discussions of how to safely and fairly play baseball during a pandemic have expanded the rift between players and owners, all before the collective bargaining agreement is set to expire at the end of 2021. It may be a very long time before we see MLB games again, even after the COVID-19 pandemic ends.

Report: Michael Rosen

The Fashionability of the 2020 ESPY Awards

The 2020 ESPY Awards transpired as an unexpected tribute to black designers, born from the show’s commendation of black athletes and their racial equality activism. Athletic power couple Megan Rapinoe and Sue Bird hosted the event from their cozy abode wearing various garments of black-owned fashion labels, their most noteworthy attire being that which honored the late George Floyd.

Rapinoe and Bird began the show with their most overt symbol of support for racial justice, Black Lives Matter t-shirts by black, female Phenomenal founder Meena Harris. Even their shoes were subtle signifiers of racial solidarity, with Rapinoe having laced up sneakers from Colin Kaepernick’s Nike collection and Bird outfitted in a pair from the black-owned Fear of God.

Next, they flaunted complementary pantsuits, Rapinoe in white and Sue in black, both of which were accented by t-shirts emblazoned with George Floyd’s initials.

As the night progressed, the couple switched to evening wear, courtesy of Pyer Moss’s Haitian-American designer Kerby Jean-Raymond. Rapinoe was positively radiant in her silky, ruffled yellow dress, and, Bird was draped elegantly in a satin lavender gown. Their following outfit changes drastically differed from one another; Rapinoe’s bright yellow blouse and pants ensemble by Christopher John Rogers contrasted with Bird’s darker-hued Off-White blazer and pants.

They ended the 2020 ESPY Awards wearing t-shirts of each other's faces, their last salute to black designers being their Off-White and Fear of God sneakers. Photo credit: https://www.today.com/style/megan-rapinoe-sue-bird-espys-t184954

Report: Nia Hunt

NHL's Return Would be a Welcome Sight for Sports Fans

The NHL is one of many sports leagues that has put a plan in place to resume a season that was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Although we do not have an exact date as to when games will resume, we do know what the postseason layout will look like and it could lead to some very intriguing matchups.

Back on May 26 the NHL announced its plan to conclude the season with a 24-team playoff format in certain hub cities that have yet to be determined. The unconventional postseason bracket will feature eight best-of-5 series in the first round and a round-robin tournament between the top four teams in each conference to determine seeding for the remainder of the playoffs. After that the playoffs will resume as usual with four rounds of best-of-7 series.

The biggest criticism of this format is the uneven seeding that may emerge after the first round. For example, the Toronto Maple Leafs are the No. 8 seed among the 12 teams in the Eastern Conference. However, if it beats the No. 9 seed Columbus Blue Jackets in the first round, it is scheduled to face the No. 1 seed in the following round. This means you could have a situation where a No. 8 seed is playing a No. 1 seed while a No. 12 seed is playing a No. 4 seed. However, there is also the possibility that the team that finished the regular season with the best record in the conference, the Boston Bruins, could be as low as the No. 4 seed.

But NHL playoffs have always been unpredictable with upsets occurring across the board. Just look at last year when every division winner was eliminated in the first round, including the Tampa Bay Lightning who tied the record for wins in a season before being swept by the Blue Jackets who had never won a playoff series. While the seeding may not be fair it certainly does not kill any team’s chances, and there are plenty of teams that have a good chance to hoist the Stanley Cup.

Last year’s finals participants, the Bruins and eventual-champion St. Louis Blues, finished the season with the most and second-most points in the league, respectively, and could be on a collision course for a finals rematch. The aforementioned Lightning are hoping to redeem its playoff failures from last year with a championship, and the Maple Leafs, who have spent a ton of money in hopes of ending its 67-year cup drought, are looking to win its first playoff series since 2004 after a disappointing regular season. But there are also teams like the Philadelphia Flyers who were red hot just before the season was postponed.

As with every sports league, there is no telling how well teams will play following this delay. But seeing any of the 24 teams lift the cup would be a welcome sight after all we’ve been through this year. Even if it’s lifted in an empty arena.

Photos courtesy of Flickr users Kaz Andrew and Laurie Rivera.

Report: Michael Rosen

NBA's Return Brings Many Questions, But A Lot of Excitement

Basketball fans will finally have something other than “The Last Dance” and old, predetermined games to keep them entertained. The league’s board of governors and player’s union agreed to a deal in which 22 teams will resume playing on July 31 at Walt Disney World's ESPN Wide World of Sports complex. There will be an eight-game conclusion for the regular season followed by a possible play-in tournament for the lower seeds before playoffs begin. Any teams within four games of the No. 8 seed by the end of the regular season will have a chance to make the playoffs via the play-in tournament, and playoffs will maintain the regular structure with four rounds of best-of-seven series.

How well teams will get back into the routine of playing is anyone’s guess. This is an unprecedented format and could lead to some huge upsets and playoff matchups we did not think we would see this season. Without question the teams who did well before the season was postponed have the most pressure on them.

The Milwaukee Bucks, who had the best record before the postponement, have superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo under contract for only one more year following the conclusion of this season. Their window might be closing fast and letting an opportunity like this slip away could be devastating.

This might be LeBron James’ final legitimate run at another championship, and another title for the Los Angeles Lakers would be sweet after some uncharacteristically embarrassing moments over the last few years from one of the league’s premier franchises.

Los Angeles’ other team, the Clippers, were just starting to play at full strength and hit its stride once the pandemic hit. The Clippers were only 5.5 games behind the Lakers and looked poised to make a run at the team’s first championship, with a possible all-Staples Center playoff series along the way. This is a golden opportunity for the Clippers to capture the city’s attention and stop playing second fiddle, even if it comes under some extraordinary circumstances.

These extraordinary circumstances will no doubt tarnish the validity of this season’s champion, especially if a team like the Washington Wizards or Sacramento Kings, who did not hold a playoff position at the time of the postponement, scrap out a run to the finals. That’s a shame if a team like the Bucks or Clippers, who have waited forever for a title, not only have to celebrate that title in front of an empty arena but the validity of it is then questioned for years to come.

There are still some kinks to work out, such as possible expanded rosters due to the fact that players can refuse to participate without punishment, and nothing is certain in the COVID-19 era. But there’s reason for NBA fans to be optimistic, and we will likely be able to watch basketball much sooner rather than later.

Photos courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Report: Michael Rosen

Increased Focus on Fashion by Athletes Could Influence the Styles of Their Fans, and Each Other

Stereotypically we do not think of sports fans as a group of people who are concerned about the clothes they wear. When sports fans want to represent and emulate their favorite team and/or athlete, they do so by wearing the jersey of said athlete.

But as athletes continue to put a lot of focus into the outfits they wear when they are off the court or field, it only makes sense that the same fans who buy their jerseys would want to also emulate their fashion choices.

One of the best things about sports is that you get people from all different backgrounds and cultures, and with that comes all different tastes in fashion. An NBA player who was raised in New York City is going to dress differently than an NBA player who was raised in North Carolina, and an NBA player from Europe is going to dress completely different than any NBA player from the United States. These players could then be influencing each other’s taste in fashion, creating unique trends that originated from various styles throughout the world.

But it also means fans could be influenced by various tastes in clothing and apparel throughout the world. There aren’t many ways a young sports fan from Milwaukee would get interested in the fashion scene in Greece, but idolizing the well-dressed Giannis Antetokounmpo is certainly one way.

It wasn’t all that long ago when you would show up to the stadium and everyone in the crowd would be in suits and dresses. While that is unlikely to ever happen again, we could potentially start to see fans in the stands wearing outfits influenced by their favorite athletes.

Photos courtesy of Main Line Sportsman and Nike News

Report: Michael Rosen

Michael Jordan: Trendsetter On & Off the Court

Micheal Jordan is known mostly for his talent on the Basketball court, being coined as the greatest to ever play the game. Let’s not forget his glowing baseball and golf careers! And acting! Let face it, this man could do it all. All of this being said it is fair to say that Jordan has his thumb in many pies, including fashion. And I’m not just talking about his Jays and sportswear. Since the premiere of The Last Dance, a 10 part docu-series, Jordan’s famous looks have been trending all over social media. Although many have been questioning his sense of style there is no denying that many of Michael's fashion choices in the ’90s can be found in fashion trends today. From graphic tees to baggy denim, Michael can proudly say he was one of the first to rock the look.

Micheal has been known for rocking oversized jeans. This “lived in” or vintage look of oversized distressed jeans have been seen a lot in this season’s fashion. These jeans could be dressed down with sneakers or dressed up with heels and a blouse.

Micheal has been known to add a trench coat to any outfit. Brightly colored and oversized trenches made a come back in 2020 fashion. These coats have taken the place of the classic beige and natural-colored coat like the one Michael is seen rocking above.

A graphic tee is a staple. I always have at least 10 in my closet at a time. Jordan is known for wearing a classic Bull graphic tee. This is far from a new trend but after the premiere of The Last Dance, there has also been an increase in sales of vintage Chicago Bulls gear, specifically championship tees. While not everyone can get their hands on a classic 1997 championship tee, we could at least appreciate a cozy oversized graphic tee with biker shorts or a pair of jeans.

Photo Creds: bleacherreport.com, prettylittlething.com, Esquire, and whowhatwear.com

Report: Lauren Tucker

Examining Professional Athlete Fashion

Professional athletes are not normally known for their fashion choices. They usually have assigned uniforms they have to wear while on the job, but they do get to choose how to look when the camera is still on them before and after the game. While many well-dressed male athletes opt for a simple suit and tie, some have been known to show off much more flamboyant looks. There’s also no shortage of female athletes who know how to dress off the court.

Serena Williams is the perfect example of someone whose athletic ability is complimented by their stylish drip. She recently headlined Sports Illustrated’s fourth annual Fashion 50 list, a ranking of the most fashionable professional athletes put together by a team of sports and fashion experts alike. Williams explained that her ambition to display her chic, empowering style when she isn’t playing goes hand in hand with her mentality as an athlete. “I always try to send the message of just being confident and being fierce,” she said.

There’s no shortage of male athletes who aspire to look confidence and fierce on the field and through their clothes. Many of the athletes from SI’s list play in either the NFL or NBA. Odell Beckham Jr., Russell Westbrook and James Harden are all ranked very high due to their outfits that range from vintage to latest, designer to unconventional, and masculine threads to feminine apparel. There’s also of course Cam Newton, the former Carolina Panthers quarterback and current free agent. He is most known for his headwear, showing up to his press conferences in everything from a Sunday best top hat akin to a traditional churchgoer from the Deep South to bandanas worn in the style of Rosie the Riveter.

While the bigger focus on fashion for athletes has been much more apparent in recent times than in the past, there are still some early trendsetters who loved to wear more than just a suit and tie. Broadway Joe Namath came about as the New York Jets quarterback in the late 1960s and his long hair and cocky attitude represented the cultural changes taking place in the United States at that time. He was also known for wearing fur coats while on the sidelines. Walter "Clyde" Frazier came up around the same time as Namath and appeared in multiple clothing advertisements. He’s still known for his tastes whenever he wears a unique suit during Knicks broadcasts. Then there is Dennis Rodman who frequently changed the color of his hair and even wore the occasional dress.

Still, fashion plays a much larger role for Millennial athletes than previous generations. Nearly everyone on SI’s list was born after 1980. Zoomers, such as Zion Williamson and Lamar Jackson, are just beginning to take over the sports landscape. It’ll be interesting to see how fashion trends change with the new generation and future generations to come.

Photos courtesy of Imgur and Flickr user cliff1066™

Report: Michael Rosen

"The History of the Seattle Mariners" Concludes with King Felix

Felix Hernandez was the primary subject in the final episode of “The History of the Seattle Mariners,” a YouTube series which chronicles the story of “the most fascinating team on Earth.” The series was created by Jon Bois and Alex Rubenstein as part of the Dorktown segments on SB Nation’s YouTube channel.

Bois and Rubenstein continue the method of analyzing old news articles to tell obscure stories and using visualized data to emphasize certain statistics. It not only is a creative method that ensures the accuracy of their research, it also makes their videos appealing to anyone, not just sports fans. This series is no different, as even non-baseball fans will be entertained by stories of old stadiums being burned down, toilets being filled with jello and a community deciding the fate of a team just as it is giving its fans something to root for.

The series of course also focuses on the immensely talented players that have worn the Mariners cap, with Hernandez, the most recent star of the team, being the focus as the series concludes. Hernandez was a local celebrity in the Seattle area when he was pitching at his peak. However, playing on the west coast and never having an opportunity to pitch in the playoffs, which is no fault of his own, never allowed for him to reach nationwide celebrity status. But despite his declining skills, Seattle fans gave him a standing ovation when he pitched his final game last season. Everyone in the ballpark, including Hernandez himself, was aware that he would not be returning to the team next season. Hernandez was last pitching for the Atlanta Braves in spring training before the COVID-19 pandemic postponed the season.

The series is highly recommended for both sports and non-sports fans alike, but especially for sports fans who are pining for some content with no live sports to keep them entertained. The entire six-episode series is around three hours and 40 minutes in total and can be watched for free on SB Nation’s YouTube channel.

Photos courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Report: Michael Rosen

Rodman's Flamboyant Personality and Elite Basketball Abilities Discussed in "The Last Dance"

While sports fans have had to make do with no live sports during the coronavirus pandemic, they have been able to take solace in “The Last Dance.” The 10-part miniseries which covers the final season of the Chicago Bulls dynasty was not scheduled to premiere until June, but ESPN moved up its release to give fans something to look forward to. The first two episodes aired on April 19, and they will continue to be released in pairs each Sunday.

The documentary features never-before-seen footage taken by a crew that had all-access permission to film the team during the 1997-98 season, as well as interviews with former players, executives, journalists and celebrities; everyone from Barack Obama to Carmen Electra have made appearances thus far. Each episode blends examining the events of the season in chronological order and the background of a specific member of the team. This emphasizes the numerous differing personalities on the Bulls; the win-at-all-cost aggression of Michael Jordan, the quiet, underpaid and under appreciated Scottie Pippen and the calm, Zen Buddhist philosophy of head coach Phil Jackson who was the subject of one of the episodes released on April 26.

The other episode focused on Dennis Rodman, one of the most bizarre and fascinating athletes of all-time. While he’s best known these days for his controversial befriending of Kim Jong-un, Rodman, who grew up in poverty in Dallas, was a key member of the Bulls dynasty and is considered one of the best rebounding forwards in history. One of the coolest moments of the documentary so far is a montage in which Rodman explained how the ball would bounce differently off the rim depending on who shot the ball. For example, Larry Bird’s shots would spin, and the ball would land in a specific place whenever Jordan shot it.

But the most memorable moment from Rodman’s episode came at the very end when he recounted a story from that 1997-98 season. Rodman had been struggling on the court and he asked Jackson for a vacation in the middle of the season. Jordan relented, but Jackson eventually granted his future Hall of Famer a 48-hour trip to Las Vegas before he had to rejoin the team. Unsurprisingly, Rodman did not return in time and Jordan had to fly out to Vegas to retrieve him. Rodman showed up to his first practice after his Las Vegas bender in pajamas and sandals, but he began to play well again following his vacation.

The fifth and sixth episodes of “The Last Dance” will air on May 3 at 9 p.m. EDT on ESPN, with a censored version airing at the same time on ESPN2. The episodes are available to stream on ESPN after they air and they are also available the following Monday on Netflix for those living outside the United States.

Photos courtesy of Wikipedia and WikiMedia Commons.

Report: Michael Rosen