Michael Jordan made his much-anticipated debut on NBA on NBC during halftime of the Rockets' opening night game against the Thunder, the reigning league champions. Jordan, regarded by many as the greatest basketball player of all time, has largely stayed out of the spotlight and not held a television role following his Hall of Fame career—until now.
Earlier this year, NBC announced that Jordan would be joining the return of NBA on NBC as a special contributor. In the first edition of his segment, MJ: Insights to Excellence, Jordan spoke to NBC lead play-by-play commentator Mike Tirico about why he's now joining the network as a special contributor.
"To pay it forward," Jordan told Tirico. "I have an obligation to the game of basketball, not financially. I'm okay. I think more or less, as a basketball player, you should be able to pass on messages of success and dedication to the game of basketball. ... As professional athletes, we have an obligation to pay it forward. That's part of what this is all about, to pay it forward."
“We have an obligation to pay it forward. That’s part of what this is all about.”
— NBA on NBC and Peacock (@NBAonNBC) October 22, 2025
Watch Michael Jordan’s first conversation with Mike Tirico in the first edition of MJ: Insights To Excellence. pic.twitter.com/7tfzGm6SpM
Jordan added that since retiring, he has had much more time on his hands. He has often tried to spend that extra time with family over the years while he's been out of the spotlight.
While the prime of Jordan's career is decades past—as evidenced by him describing his nerves to shoot a free throw—his love of basketball remains.
"Love it like you wouldn't believe. In all honestly, I wish I could take a magic pill, put on shorts and go out and play the game of basketball today because that's who I am," Jordan said. "That type of competition, that type of competitiveness, is what I live for. And I miss it. I miss that aspect of playing the game of basketball. ... It's better for me to be sitting here, talking to you as opposed to popping my achilles and I'm in a wheelchair for a while."
More NBA on Sports Illustrated
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Why Michael Jordan is Joining NBA on NBC as Special Contributor.
