Filipino artist aims to draw Michael Jordan's attention with 'The Last Shot' artwork

The impact of Michael Jordan extends beyond the confines of basketball, and can still even be felt up to this day.

So, it should come as no surprise that many continue to pay tribute to Jordan's legacy, and Filipino artist Christian Oliver Talampas is no different.

In a video posted on TikTok, Talampas, a self-taught artist who operates under the username of _cortart, shared his masterpiece depicting "The Last Shot" – Jordan's iconic title-clincher in Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals against the Utah Jazz.

It was an artwork born out of his great admiration for the Chicago Bull legend, who is arguably the greatest player to ever set foot on a basketball court.

"Idol ko si MJ since eight years old ako [back in 1990]. Gusto ko siya bigyan ng tribute at the same time, gusto ko i-challenge sarili ko kung hanggang saan ko kaya ma-push ang skills ko sa pag guhit," Talampas told Yahoo Philippines.

(Translation: MJ has been my idol since I was eight years old back in 1990. I have always wanted to pay him a tribute and, at the same time, I wanted to challenge my skills in drawing.)

Talampas spent over 620 hours in a span of 72 days to finish the piece, with 10 hours being the longest time he had in one sitting. His dedication to his craft could pretty much be likened to that of Jordan, a passionate workhorse in his prime.

As of writing, the video has gained over 1.6 million views. It even caught the attention of renowned trainer Tim Grover, who has worked with Jordan and some of the finest basketball athletes in the NBA such as Dwyane Wade and the late Kobe Bryant.

While he has gained notoriety on social media, Talampas will not stop sharing his work to the world until Jordan himself would be the one to notice his artistic tribute.

And if ever Jordan chanced upon this write-up, Talampas made sure to leave a heartfelt message for his childhood hero.

As he put it, "Hey, Mike! You don’t even know that I exist, but I want to thank you because you become a big part of my life growing up. I became competitive because of you because I always wanted to be like Mike. Keep safe!"

Ohmer Bautista is a sports journalist who has covered local and international sporting events in the Philippines. The views expressed are his own.

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