“Michael Jordan Don’t Care About No Basketball Player”: Lou Williams Had Predicted MJ Would Have Less Than 2 NBC Appearances

When NBC resumed its coverage of the NBA after a 25-year hiatus, fans were looking forward to the much-advertised return of Michael Jordan to the TV screens. Jordan was set to join the network as a ‘special contributor,’ and the anticipation from fans was fervent since the 6-time NBA champion had avoided the media like the plague for years.

However, that hasn’t been the case. According to reports, MJ taped a fairly long interview with Mike Tirico for NBC, but that appears to be it. So fans feel shortchanged, naturally.

Even Tirico admitted that while it was special to hear from Jordan, fans have been left wanting more. Who could have seen this coming? Well, former point guard Lou Williams did, back in May last year. He even joked about it on air.

On FanDuel’s Run It Back podcast, Williams had asserted that Jordan was never going to be in front of the camera every week. He also noted that Jordan was not about to shell out opinions the way podcast regulars do.

“I don’t think we are going to see Michael Jordan weekly or bi-weekly talking about today’s basketball,” Williams had said, while predicting that Jordan was going to do less than a couple of appearances on NBC.

“Michael Jordan don’t care about no basketball player that ain’t wearing that ‘Jumpman’ symbol,” he added, laughing. “We are getting tricked, ya’ll. [We’re getting] under two appearances.”

And as if to further establish his clairvoyance, Williams said, “Whatever Michael Jordan is contributing, he’s probably recorded it already!”

After walking away from the hardwood, Jordan has largely abstained from sharing his opinions on basketball, except during his time as the majority owner of the Charlotte Hornets. Since stepping back from that role (he remains a minority owner of the Hornets), MJ has been busy running his NASCAR team, 23XI Racing, alongside Denny Hamlin.