B.J. Armstrong explains how “The Last Dance” exaggerated a lot of things about the Bulls – “I didn’t know there was all this drama in our locker room” originally appeared on Basketball Network.
Professional sports will never lack for drama and that includes the NBA. With the ego every player has, it’s almost inevitable that there will be friction between players that often leads to conflicts within a team. The Chicago Bulls’ dynasty in the 1990s was no exception. However, one player who seemed to be oblivious to all the drama was B.J. Armstrong.
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Armstrong, a 6’2″ guard who played a key role in the backcourt of the Bulls teams that won the first “three-peat,” shared that he was too busy relishing the opportunity he had to be part of such a successful team that he paid no mind to what was going on around him. In fact, he didn’t know about the drama until he watched the popular documentary that followed the life and times of the Bulls, “The Last Dance.”
It was entertaining
Now, as a sports agent, Armstrong is well aware that drama sells. A happy locker room won’t bring as much attention as a divided one, and he understands that it’s all part of the business.
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To that end, as someone who actually lived through the highs and lows the Bulls encountered during those years, he found it funny that a lot was made out of small things like a missed free throw or a heated argument between teammates. He believes that it was all part of the team’s competitive nature and ultimately made them stronger.
“It was very entertaining, and I’ve never laughed so much. It was just, you know, like everyone else’s life was always exciting, but I never thought my life was exciting,” Armstrong said in a conversation with his former teammate, Bill Cartwright. “I never knew that all that turmoil. I didn’t know all of this was going on around me.”
While B.J. certainly took the game seriously, his approach was a breath of fresh air compared to how Mike ran the team. He brought a light-heartedness to the team, often cracking jokes in practice or beaming that million-watt smile.
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“I was just trying to get to the game on time. I was just happy when Nike sent me some shoes. I was just happy to play — you know, I got a uniform,” he shared.
Some of his teammates didn’t take it seriously
While several Bulls players took exception to how some stories or personalities were portrayed in “The Last Dance,” Armstrong said he didn’t think much of the conflicts seen on the screen. He knew what the real deal was, as did some of his former colleagues.
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“I didn’t know all of this was going on around me. I didn’t know that there was all this drama in our locker room. I knew Bill liked me. I didn’t know all these things,” he remarked.
“And the funny part about all of it was, it was after one of the episodes and I get a text from Michael,” B.J. continued. “He just said, ‘You’re a really funny kid.’ That’s all he put. And he just went, ‘Hahaha.'”
Armstrong revealed that the best part of “The Last Dance” was how it allowed his children to see their father in his prime.
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“You know, now my kids really believe that I played in the NBA because they don’t think I played, because they didn’t see me. They weren’t born at the time that I played,” he revealed. “But overall, it was funny. I thought it was very well done and had great storylines.”
For all the entertainment it brought to fans during a time when a lot was going wrong in the world, “The Last Dance” sparked a lot of controversy as well. Many former players, including Scottie Pippen, Isiah Thomas and Horace Grant, were unhappy with how they were portrayed in the documentary. At least Armstrong was satisfied with what he witnessed.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Aug 6, 2025, where it first appeared.