Perhaps piggy-backing on the recent success of O.J.: Made in America, Michael Jordan and the NBA are reportedly working together on what would be an absolutely epic documentary about his life. Here’s more from Richard Johnson of The New York Post:
The NBA and CAA (Creative Artists Agency) are shopping a 10-hour authorized documentary about Jordan. Production has not yet started, but the film will mostly be about His Airness’ comeback in the late ’90s (after his stint playing baseball), when he won three of his six championship rings.
The producing team is led by Mike Tollin, who spearheaded ESPN’s acclaimed “30 for 30” series and is partners with Peter Guber in Mandalay Sports Media. The project has been pitched to ESPN, Showtime, HBO and Fox Sports, and Jordan’s reps are looking for a deal somewhere north of $20 million.
Considering the fact that some of us here at Uproxx who shall remain nameless have watched an entire four-hour YouTube video comprised solely of Michael Jordan highlights in one continuous sitting (a night that may or may not have included a fine bottle of 16-year-old Lagavulin), we’re guessing there’s an audience out there for this.
The only drawback appears to be that Jordan’s involvement in the project would likely preclude the filmmakers from focusing a critical eye on some of the darker, more unsavory aspects of his life and career, such as his gambling habits or his penchant for verbally and physically abusing his teammates.
If you are, in fact, looking for something that delves a little deeper into those parts of his story, then we suggest checking out Sam Smith’s The Jordan Rules and David Halberstam’s Playing for Keeps. In the meantime, we’ll be over here salivating over all the rare, unseen footage from the prime of his career that is likely to be unearthed in such a mammoth undertaking.
