The NBA on NBC is coming back, and basketball fans everywhere have been rejoicing ever since they got the news. Most fans of at least a certain age have a high level of nostalgia for the network’s NBA coverage back in the day, from John Tesh’s impossibly catchy Roundball Rock intro to what many would argue is the best period in league history, the height of the Michael Jordan Bulls era.
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Jordan may have retired long ago, but in a shocking announcement made just a short while ago, NBC stated that he’ll be joining the network’s coverage as a special contributor.
His Airness was the majority owner of the Hornets for 13 years before selling the team in August of 2023. His presence still looms over the league in his Jordan Brand shoes and the never-ending GOAT debate surrounding him and LeBron James. Compared to other all-time greats, though, Jordan has mostly stayed in the background, at least when it comes to breaking down the game on TV.
It’s not like Jordan is a recluse, but his reluctance to get on air has fans wondering if there are ulterior motives for the move. One X user opined, “The money must be CRAZY to get this man out of hiding.”
Another suggested that this was the latest 4D chess move in the GOAT conversation: “Michael [Jordan] trying to overshadow LeBron [James’] Retirement. Nasty work.”
Most fans expect LeBron James to exercise his player option and come back next season, but at the same time, you can’t rule out Jordan, the most petty athlete of all time, doing something like this purely out of spite.
It’s unknown exactly what being a “special contributor” means, but excitement for the move is already at a fever pitch as fans imagine the possibilities.
Michael Jordan joining the NBA on NBC is the latest win for the league
For much of the regular season, pundits have been wringing their hands over depressed TV ratings, while others have said there’s nothing to worry about due to the many different ways people consume content these days.
The playoffs have proven that the NBA is in a good place. The games have been extremely unpredictable, with underdogs shockingly taking control in nearly every second-round series. The East’s No. 1 seed, the Cavs, are down 3-1 and a game away from elimination against the Pacers. The Knicks are up on the defending champion Celtics, and the 68-win Thunder are now in a best-of-three against Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets.
TV ratings for the playoffs are up, and anticipation for tonight’s draft lottery is in the stratosphere as fans wait to see who will land Duke super freshman Cooper Flagg. This Jordan announcement comes at the perfect time to keep the momentum rolling.
