Michael Jordan, while he was in the NBA, was the biggest attraction in the league. Fans flooded the stadiums, hoping just to get one glimpse of the Bulls legend. Considering the phenom MJ was, no one expected him to slip away from the media spotlight like he did after his third and final retirement in 2003.
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Sure, we’d see him at the Hornets games, and occasionally get a soundbite, but fans were starved to hear from their GOAT. The Last Dance did make fans happy, but they wanted more. So when NBC announced MJ would be part of their NBA coverage as a special contributor, fans were beyond excited. However, there have been rumors about the same since.
Claim:
Since the NBC news broke out, people have been wondering what the network did to entice the Bulls legend to come on air. Since there have been no more details from NBC’s side about the extent of Jordan’s role, or his salary, some people on the internet started cooking up facts.
An Instagram post reported that Michael Jordan is set to make $40 million a year in his deal with NBC. This reported deal would surpass Tom Brady’s $37.5 million contract with Fox Sports.
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However, the source is rather unknown and has no ties, either with NBC or Jordan’s camp. So it’s rather hard to believe they know the details ahead of actual insiders who are close to the matter.
Verdict:
No, Michael Jordan is not set to earn $40 million a year on his new NBC deal.
Even though the number seems like something which would be enticing enough to get MJ on-air, there is no credible information from NBC or Jordan’s camp that supports the rumor that has been circulating on the internet.
Jordan is arguably the greatest basketball player ever, but seeing how he has no media experience, it seems hard to believe that NBC would make such a big bet, especially in their first year back covering the NBA.
Why was this rumor propagated?
Ever since the news about MJ and NBC came out, people have been coming with various theories about why Jordan is coming on-air after 23 years away, and how did NBC convince him.
In his statement since the announcement, MJ talked about how the NBA on NBC was a big part of his career. “I am so excited to see the NBA back on NBC,” Jordan said. “The NBA on NBC was a meaningful part of my career, and I’m excited about being a special contributor to the project. I’m looking forward to seeing you all when the NBA on NBC launches this October.”
There were no other details announced so far, which led to a lot of unrest. Someone on X came up with a theory about how Jordan is here to tell his fans to stop hating on LeBron James and other current stars. On the other hand, some are predicting the kind of bag NBC handed to MJ.
However, till we get an official word from Michael Jordan himself, these are all going to be theories. One thing is for sure, though. Michael Jordan does not have a $40 million a year deal with NBC.
Case closed.
