Tag: Michael Jordan

The Other Guys: The Unsung Heroes of “The Last Dance”

Image via the Chicago Tribune

Well I think it might be safe to say that more than 20 years after the end of the Chicago Bulls dynasty, they still can be one of the most unifying teams in America. As ESPN’s 10-part series on Michael Jordan’s iconic Bulls has proved, the team still resonates deeply within the American sports culture. With viewership for the first part of the special coming in at a whopping 6.1 million, America made its voice heard that they desperately still desire live sports in this peculiar time we are living in right now. As such, I felt there was no better time to spotlight some other members of those Bulls teams and their impact on the game of basketball in the 1990’s. Everyone of course knows Michael, Scottie and Dennis, but giving a spotlight to the other star players on those teams is a key element of how general manager Jerry Krause built those elite squads.

Horace Grant (1987-1994): A dominating presence on the glass during Chicago’s first three-peat, Grant made sports goggles one of the most popular fashion accessories during the early 1990’s. Drafted with the 10th overall pick in the 1987 N.B.A. Draft, Grant immediately became a key contributor to those early Bulls teams as they battled with the “Bad Boy” Detroit Pistons for Eastern Conference supremacy. After Jordan’s first retirement following the 1992–93 season, Grant became the number-two star behind Scottie Pippen, and helped the Bulls push the Knicks to seven games in the second-round playoff series before being eliminated. While he was eventually traded to the Orlando Magic before Jordan returned later in the decade, Grant was a key cog of those early Bulls teams that helped spark a dynasty.

Steve Kerr (1993-1998): Though he is more widely-known now as the head coach of the Golden State Warriors, Kerr made a name for himself on the Bulls as a sharp-shooting point guard. An alumnus of the University of Arizona, Kerr became a key rotational piece for the second three-peat by utilizing his high basketball IQ and court savvy. With Jordan back full-time for the 1995–96 season, the Bulls set a then NBA-record of 72–10 and defeated the Seattle SuperSonics in the 1996 NBA Finals. Kerr played a major part in the Bulls’ championship victory in the 1997 NBA Finals against the Utah Jazz. In the final seconds of Game 6 with the score tied at 86, he took a pass from Jordan and hit the title-winner to secure Chicago’s fifth world title. Kerr has since gone on to become a three-time N.B.A as head coach of the Warriors. Also according to Sam Smith of the Chicago Tribune, Kerr was Bulls head coach Phil Jackson’s recommendation when people asked him about hiring a coach.

John Paxson (1985-1994): Signing as a free agent with Chicago in 1985, the same year Jordan was drafted, the crafty Notre Dame point guard made a name for himself by continually hitting clutch shots and giving the team some grit. While never the fastest player on the court, Paxson did hit a clutch shot to help secure the team’s third consecutive world title as the Bulls knocked off the Suns in 1993. Paxson is still involved with the Bulls as a senior advisor and had a solid career as general manager of the team from 2003 to 2009. He also is in some ways was the spiritual successor to Kerr running the point for Chicago.

CHICAGO – 1997: The 1996-97 NBA Chicago Bulls pose for a team portrait in Chicago, IL. Front row (left to right): Luc longley, Dennis Rodman, Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Ron Harper, Middle Row: Jud Buechler, Jason Caffey, Toni Kukoc, Bill wennington, Robert Parish, Dickey, Steve Kerr,Randy Brown. Back Row: John Ligmanowski (Equipment Manager), Frank Hamblen (Asst. Coach), Jimmy Rodgers (Asst. Coach), Phil Jackson (Head Coach), Tex Winter (Asst. Coach), Chip Schaefer (Trainer). NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory copyright notice: Copyright NBAE 1997 (Photo by Bill Smith/ NBAE/ Getty Images)

Toni Kukoc (1993-2000): A member of the FIBA Hall of Fame, Kukoc’s tenure with the Bulls started on rocky terms as he was picked as the successor to Jordan and Pippen’s success according to then general manager Jerry Krause. While Krause never made the terrible business decision to completely relinquish the franchise to Kukoc, he did find a way to help all the personalities gel together — at his own expense most of the time. A three-time champion with the Bulls and the 1996 Sixth Man of the Year, Kukoc was a solid starter for Chicago following Horace Grant’s departure. Though he might not have had the strongest relationship with the team, he was still able to become a decisive cog in their arsenal.

Well let me know in the comments below what you think about the list and if I missed anyone. Also make sure to check out “The Last Dance” as well!

Kicks ‘R For Us: The Sneaker Culture

Caption: Kanye West wearing the Adidas Yeezy Boost 350 V2 “Zebra” during a performance at Guaranteed Rate Field in July 2017. This Adidas Yeezy Boost V2 is one of the most popular sneakers all-time and immediately sold-out upon release in 2017. Image via of http://www.UrbFash.com

In the years since I graduated from college in 2015, I have undergone a massive change in my life. No I have not found that ever elusive secret underground tunnel to London or discovered a new diet to grant me eternal abs, but rather my love for tennis shoes has blossomed. Wait, tennis shoes you ask? Yes, tennis shoes, or sneakers, kicks, trainers, whatever you want to call them. In my esteemed opinion, tennis shoes are the most glorious accessory you can own and this is my ode to them. 

My passion for shoes has long been an ongoing theme in my life, but for this blog I want to explore how this burgeoning hobby became more of a financial asset that I continue to add to as often as I can. You see, shoes nowadays are big business thanks to the likes of tastemakers Kanye West (the Adidas and Nike Yeezy versions), Virgil Abloh and his Off-White collaboration with Nike, and of course the classic Air Jordan silhouettes that never go out of style, at least the OG (original versions) of editions one through 14. These shoes can vary in price but some go as high as $79,000 which is the asking price for a pair of Nike Low SB Paris Dunks on StockX which bills itself as the sneaker stock market of sorts. While I myself do not own such a pair, it is truly fascinating to see how you can collect tennis shoes in the same vein as classic art, wine or vinyl records. Sneakers have a massive following on the internet and everyone from YouTube stars to social media bloggers have an opinion, it just goes to show that if you follow your passion, sometimes the money will follow. 

While I want to go more in-depth in an article to follow about the cultural and business significance (the Air Jordan 11’s, anyone?) of some of my favorite sneakers, there is no shortage of content nowadays about sneaker reselling. There are dozens of accredited YouTube vloggers who review the hottest releases coming out on a weekly basis and companies like Complex have made multiple shows showcasing just how wide sneakers are connected to pop culture. In fact, Complex’s “Sneaker Shopping” series might be the best example of just how insanely high these shoes can be valued at and how buying them in clusters can be more than a brand new car! Indeed when a rapper like Future spends $38,971.85 on sneakers and clothing or NBA player P.J. Tucker drops $33,283.10 at Flight Club you know that this can certainly become a substantial business. 

Now before we go forward, I would be remiss in saying I am not comparing you and I to multi-millionaire entertainers and athletes, but rather shedding a light on a topic you might not have had much interest in before. One of the best parts about wearing a pair of shoes is the connection you can have to another person that you might not have had before. Wearing a new pair of Air Jordan White Cement 4’s might mean you are a fan of Spike Lee’s “Do The Right Thing” or that you just love the story behind Michael Jordan wearing them in 1989. Whatever the case, each shoe can have a story to tell. In fact, dress shoes like Clarks have even been name-dropped by Staten Island’s Wu-Tang Clan in songs which goes to show how these brands have had such crossover appeal and economic resonance. Wu-Tang later collaborated with Clarks to drop their own pair of Wallabees in the 2010’s to celebrate the 25th anniversary of their iconic album Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers). 

While I absolutely want to shed more light on the sneaker reselling world and its economic connections to pop culture, I am afraid this is where we must bid adieu. So please at the end of this post I want you to write down your favorite shoes and wear them today. Also feel free to give me a shout out on Twitter with your favorite kicks on and I will send you mine. Everyone has a favorite pair of sneakers they have owned over time and each one has their own awesome story to share. 

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