If you haven’t devoured all 10 episodes of The Last Dance doco series already, well, shame on you quite frankly. Even though we knew the ending way back in 1998, the ESPN-Netflix series had us all on the edge of our seats. But now you may find yourself with a big ol’ sports hole to fill – what to watch next.
WARNING – there be some Last Dance spoilers in this:
Abstract: Tinker Hatfield
Technically, this is more of a design story than a sports doco, but it’s a great companion piece to The Last Dance because it’s all about the guy who designed the famous Air Jordans. Tinker Hatfield goes into great detail about designing for professional athletes, from Andre Agassi to Michael Jordan. And yes, MJ is in this too.
The Battered Bastards Of Baseball
A major thread in The Last Dance was the legwork – and ultimately back-stabbing – in building a team from scratch. And that’s not just limited to the NBA. The Battered Bastards Of Baseball chronicles the Portland Mavericks, a team set-up by actor Bing Russell (yes, Kurt Russell’s dad) in the 1970s, and made-up entirely of players no one else wanted.
![The Battered Bastards of Baseball | Official Trailer [HD] | Netflix](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/RA76b5Hhvxg/hqdefault.jpg)
Undefeated
Nothing beats an underdog story, and Undefeated is so good it won Best Documentary at the 2012 Oscars. It follows some seriously disadvantaged students from Memphis and their never-say-die volunteer coach, who refuses to let them slip through the cracks. Also good to partner with Cheer to pick your spirits up.
The Test
This 8-part series goes behind the scenes of rebuilding the Australian cricket team in the wake of the “Sandpaper Scandal”. New coach Justin Langer is on a mission to regain the team’s integrity, and retain the Ashes in the process.
Free Solo
Another Academy Award-winner that will leave you in awe (and probably a little sick from the stress). It covers Alex Honnold and his lifelong dream to climb the 900-metre vertical rock face of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park – without any ropes. It’s a testament to the mental and physical strength that it takes to be the best.
The Fibros And The Silvertails
One of the great insights in The Last Dance doco was the sports psychology. From coach Phil Jackson’s ability to get the most out of each individual, to every little bit of spite that Michael Jordan used to rev himself up. And if you want more of that, then look no further than Fibros vs Silvertails. It goes back to the 1978 legendary rugby league rivalry between the Western Suburbs Magpies and the Manly Sea Eagles, and how Wests coach Roy Masters created a class war, not only to motivate his own team, but to motivate an entire region of fans. And that class war is still going on today.
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