NBC is pulling out all the stops as they prepare for their run of NBA rights beginning next season. In a surprise reveal at today's upfront presentation, the network trumpeted that Michael Jordan will be joining as a special contributor.
Of all the things Jordan has done with his post-NBA career, punditry has been noticably absent. Considering the enormous buzz Fox generated with its expesive Tom Brady experiment last season, it should be a surprise that NBC was willing whatever it takes to land basketball's G.O.A.T (or second-best player of all time depending on one's preferences).
Brady, of course, jumped right into the marquee booth and worked a Super Bowl in his first year behind a microphone. Details are still sparse as it pertains to Jordan's role as a special contributor and that distinction could mean a lot of different things in terms of visibility and workload.
But that's all stuff for a later time. Let's instead focus on how NBC made their announcement: going all-out to tap into some old school nostalgia.
The Announcement @Jumpman23 is on @NBAonNBC
— John Mamola (@JohnMamola) May 12, 2025
Video via @derekfutterman @Barrett_Media pic.twitter.com/Brno9JZfV4
The Alan Parsons intro is undefeated. After all these years it still brings palpable excitment. Even if it's for a prerecorded message from Jordan, who wasn't there.
It will be interesting to see how much, if any, critique is given to Jordan's on-air performance. Brady got a ton of that. Yet Jordan feels like someone where no one's going to really go too harshly if it isn't immediately Grade-A stuff.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as NBC Recreated Michael Jordan’s Iconic Entrance to Announce His New NBA Gig.
