Episode 5 of The Last Dance opened with a sight that had to be jarring for NBA fans: Kobe Bryant giving a fresh interview.
Episode 4 left off with the Bulls playing their final game of the first half of the 1998 season, so it only made sense for the next installment to pick up at that year’s All-Star Game. The game would be Jordan’s final All-Star appearance as a Bull and also marked Bryant’s All-Star debut.
Kobe wasn’t even a starter for the Lakers that season (Eddie Jones was the starting shooting guard) but he was voted by the fans as an All-Star starter at the age of just 19.