Luc Longley's silence since the release of Michael Jordan's 10-part doco-series has intrigued the sporting world, but there is no shortage of spotfires that have emerged about the Aussie legend's relationship with the NBA GOAT.
Conspiracy theories and claims have swirled around the internet since it emerged the former Bulls centre doesn't feature in the popular ESPN/Netflix series until the eighth episode — despite director Jason Hehir saying the headaches and cost of sending a film crew to meet up with Longley in Western Australia were the only reason Longley was not interviewed.
Despite his silence, Longley has been roped into a number of scandals that have been brought back to the surface since the episodes began airing.
Perhaps his most controversial chapter during his run of three straight NBA championships with the Bulls had already been uncovered.
As covered in brutal detail in The Last Dance documentary, the Bulls were out of sorts and losing painfully when they began the 1997-98 season without star Scottie Pippen.
It led to strained relationships within the locker room and a series of icy moments.
Legendary Bulls coach Phil Jackson revealed Longley was at the centre of one such moment when the Bulls had lost again during their inconsistent start to their title defence.
Jackson revealed in his diary entries from the 1997-98 season — published in ESPN The Magazine's May, 1998, edition — that he himself triggered a heated disagreement between Longley and Jordan when he singled out the Aussie centre for criticism during a video session.
"Sometimes in a film session, I get upset and wonder what we're doing, why we can't put it together consistently," Jackson re-calls in his memoirs.
"The other day, I stopped the film after watching Luc Longley screw up again, and I just said, 'Everybody makes mistakes. And I made one coming back here with this team this year'.
"I meant it in sort of a lighthearted way. But then Michael says, 'Me too'. So it weighed pretty heavy on everyone.
"Later on in the session, Luc says, kind of to everyone, in the dark, 'It's easy to criticise'.
"He was hurt. Then (assistant coach) Tex Winter jumped in and said, 'Luc, I don't understand you. You don't have the right attitude'.
"A shrug is a big deal for Luc; he is a loveable guy. But he says to Tex, 'I wasn't talking about the coaching staff. Michael is the one being critical. I just want to let him know it's easy to criticise'.
"And then Michael says, 'The only thing that upsets me is when we lose. I think you should resolve to make yourself better the next time. Change'. The room was charged. It was sombre. Michael was sombre.
"He doesn't play cards with the guys like he used to. He is serious. He hasn't smiled a genuine smile in two weeks. He's letting everyone know it's time. He said, 'It's over. We're not gonna lose anymore'.
"I'm sick of losing too. What are we, 15-9? We should be 21-3. We lost 10 games in 1996 — the entire season."
Luc Longley and Michael Jordan. Photo / Getty
The Bulls famously went on to finish the season 62-20, finishing as the top seed in the Eastern Conference before defeating Utah in the NBA Finals.
Longley remains the only Aussie to win three NBA championships, but has largely hid from the spotlight since his retirement in 2001.
He has featured as a coaching advisor and mentor during recent Boomers Olympics campaigns, but has otherwise been content to settle down away from the spotlight on a farm in Denmark, Western Australia — a five-hour drive from Perth.
Aussie basketball legend Andrew Gaze revealed to foxsports.com.au on Monday his former Boomers teammate is happy to ride out the storm of The Last Dance, confirming rumours the 51-year-old changed his phone number to avoid interview requests following the airing of The Last Dance.
"He changed his phone number because he didn't want to be bothered with that stuff. That shouldn't be a criticism of him. We're all different and that's the way he is.
"He lives out in his farm in the middle of nowhere.
"That's just the way he was. He didn't seek out the limelight."
It comes after another of Longley's former Boomers teammates Chris Anstey claimed in a Facebook post recently that Longley would not be shying away from telling those close to him about his side of the story of the Bulls' epic second three-peat from 1996-98.
"My bet is that Luc is not silent to those around him," Anstey wrote.
"He is likely sharing a much broader perspective on the phenomenon that he was a part of.
"He is unlikely silent to those who are interested in more than the 3 and a bit seasons he lived in the centre of the sporting world.
"Luc's generosity with his time and advice normalised the NBA for me. He made it ok to not be fully absorbed in my "basketball persona" and to keep a broader perspective on life.
"I hope to have another beer with Luc Longley one day. I promise not to ask him about Michael Jordan."
