Kobe Bryant Will Appear in Next ‘The Last Dance’ Episodes

Shortly after the third and fourth episodes of The Last Dance aired on Sunday night, ESPN released a teaser for the next two in the 10-part documentary series. The Worldwide Leader in Sports wanted to set the stage for what could be its most-discussed episodes and easily succeeded. This teaser showed a glimpse of the late Kobe Bryant, who died in a helicopter crash on Jan. 26.

The brief clip started with Jordan’s impact on modern culture. His custom shoes and various sponsorships were shown, as were several celebrities. However, the teaser also showed Jordan and Bryant showing respect to each other and facing off on the court. The final moment featured Jordan telling his peer that he would see him “down the road.” Bryant simply responded by saying, “cool.”

“Nope, I’m not ready,” one NBA fan wrote on Twitter after watching the teaser video. Others agreed with this sentiment and talked about their emotions. Bryant fans have been crying since his death, and they are prepared to shed even more tears during the next two episodes.

While the majority of fans will be spending the week preparing for the emotional rollercoaster on Sunday night, others will have already binged through the series. The Last Dance leaked online, and several people have reposted clips on Twitter. One such example featured Bryant talking about his brief battles with Jordan and how he looked up to the Chicago Bulls star.

“He’s my big brother,” the late NBA icon said in a leaked clip. “I truly hate having discussions about who would win one-on-one. You’re a fan saying, ‘hey, Kobe, you’d beat Mike one-on-one.’ I’m like, ‘yo, what you get from me is from him. I wouldn’t get five championships without him because he guided me so much and gave me so much great advice.’”

Bryant and Jordan had a strong relationship, part of which will be put on display during the next two episodes of the documentary series. Fans will be able to witness the two NBA stars talk about each other and their brief time together on the court. They will also be provided with highlight clips from the 1998 All-Star game.

Bryant was 19 at the time and was pushing the veteran when they faced off against each other. Despite dealing with the flu all week, Jordan pushed through and faced off with Bryant early and often. Bryant finished the All-Star Game with 18 points and six rebounds in 22 minutes. Jordan was named the MVP after posting 23 points, eight assists, and six rebounds.