Michael Jordan's one-and-done return to the NBA with NBC leaves fans wanting more
Jordan's only contribution was a sit-down interview divided into several segments throughout the season
Last season when the NBA announced that the NBC would be back broadcasting games thru all season after a 23 year break the "old" fans were amazed because the iconic intros and productions from the 90's were back.
Now their content is distributed across NBC Sports , Peacock , USA Network , and Telemundo and will run up through the 2035–36 season and the whole agreement expands again with the introduction of Sunday Night Basketball , a new series adding even more NBA action to the NBC family.
Michael Jordan's Brief NBC Stint
Of course, the most famous player from the '90s is Michael Jordan , who was supposed to participate a lot last season, but his only contribution was a sit-down interview with Mike Tirico that was split into multiple segments and aired throughout the season, making it seem like a contractual obligation, albeit a very good one.
Now, for the next season, "Your Airness" is not expected to return to NBC Sports ' NBA coverage after serving as a "special on-air contributor" for just one season.
The six-time NBA champion and five-time MVP , whose legendary career points average sits at an unmatched 30.1 PPG , generated massive media hype when his partnership was first revealed back in May 2025.
Supporters expected regular live insights, game analysis, or fresh perspectives on modern superstars from the Hall of Famer . Instead, the entirety of his on-air presence amounted to pre-recorded footage recycled into the "MJ: Insights to Excellence" segments.
As the calendar turns toward the 2026-27 campaign , basketball enthusiasts are left wondering what could have been.
While NBC's massive 11-year media rights deal continues pushing full steam ahead with star analysts like Reggie Miller and Carmelo Anthony , Jordan's fleeting cameo will go down as one of the most overhyped media arrangements in recent memory.
For now, the icon remains as elusive off the court as he ever was, leaving fans hungry for a level of engagement that was ultimately never delivered.
