For fans who grew up watching MJ’s Bulls tear through the '90s with the Roundball Rock theme playing like a national anthem, this one hits different. NBC isn’t tiptoeing back into NBA broadcasting. They’re showing up with the biggest name in the sport’s history, a guy who’s spent most of the last 20 years keeping a low profile and staying out of the spotlight.

Michael Jordan is joining NBC’s NBA coverage starting in October 2025. Fans have been waiting for years — decades even — to hear MJ consistently talk about the game. Whether you grew up watching him glide through the air on NBC in the '90s or you’ve only ever known him as the quiet icon behind the Jumpman logo, this is the kind of comeback that turns heads. 

NBC’s Return Feels Bigger Than a Media Rights Line Item

This all starts with NBC landing an 11-year rights deal with the NBA, which kicks off in October 2025 and runs through the 2035–36 season. It’s a massive play, and it instantly repositions NBC as a major NBA partner again, right alongside ESPN/ABC and Amazon.

The setup is pretty stacked: Monday nights will belong to Peacock exclusively, Tuesday night doubleheaders will air on NBC, and they’re even launching a new Sunday Night Basketball window starting in January.

If you’re old enough to remember MJ’s playing days, you know exactly what this pairing means. The Bulls’ six championships? All broadcast by NBC. Jordan’s iconic shrug after torching the Blazers in ’92? NBC. The flu game in ’97? NBC. That final, frozen-in-time pose after his last Bulls jumper in ’98? Yep — NBC again.

They’re not just buying games — they’re buying nostalgia. They’re counting on fans who remember all of those Jordan-era moments to come back, while giving new fans a fresh lens to watch today’s game. Bringing MJ back into the fold is a fantastic cherry on top.

MJ’s First Real Media Job: What Took So Long?

After his playing days ended, Jordan bought the Charlotte Bobcats (eventually changing the name back to the Hornets) and became the first Black majority owner in American pro sports — an accomplishment that doesn’t get talked about enough. He was always around the league, technically speaking, but not in a way that had him front and center.

He also co-founded a NASCAR team with Denny Hamlin — 23XI Racing — and popped up here and there at events like the Ryder Cup, but it wasn’t anything close to a consistent presence. Most of the time, he let the myth do the talking.

That’s what makes this move to NBC so surprising and interesting. A media gig, especially on a national broadcast platform, never really felt like something Jordan would go for. He’s always been more comfortable letting the legend speak louder than his voice.

But now, with his Hornets responsibilities off his plate, he apparently decided it was time to offer something new. According to NBC’s release, Jordan was the one who reached out with the idea — he wanted to find a fresh way to talk hoops.

“Special Contributor” Sounds Vague

This isn’t going to be MJ showing up in the studio every Tuesday or debating hot topics live on set. According to multiple reports, he’s not expected to have a weekly presence or anything close to a full-time role. Instead, Jordan’s involvement is going to be more curated — high-impact moments where his perspective really adds value.

Think taped segments that drop during pregame or halftime, maybe a few surprise appearances around major events like Christmas Day games or the playoffs. NBC reportedly plans to weave him into coverage at key points in the season, not overload the broadcast with him.

He’ll likely be featured in short, polished pieces that feel more like storytelling or deep-dive analysis than anything else — segments where he can slow the game down and explain what’s really happening, from the perspective of someone who’s been there, done that, and dominated it.

Mike Tirico, who’s leading NBC’s coverage, made it pretty clear what he’s hoping for during his chat on The Dan Patrick Show. He said he’s not interested in Jordan “sitting behind a desk giving generic takes.” What he wants — and what NBC is banking on — is Jordan unpacking the modern game in a way that only he can.

Six Rings, Five MVPs, Endless Credibility

Since his last game in 2003, the league has completely evolved — positionless systems, pull-up threes from the logo, small-ball lineups, and players branding themselves through social media just as much as through playoff performances. The game is faster, flashier, and louder than it was in Jordan’s era.

That’s exactly why now might be the perfect time for him to speak up. The GOAT debate has gone from barbershops to endless TV panels to TikToks, but in all that noise, we’ve barely heard Jordan himself chime in.

Shaquille O'Neal didn't hold back when talking about how players in today's game should handle criticism from Jordan:

"First of all, if anybody says Michael Jordan is hating, you’re an idiot. This man is the only man on earth with G19 classification. G19, higher than the president of the United States classification. Of course, there’s a president, but this guy is a guy that can go behind the doors and get s*** done. So, if Jordan says, 'I don’t think this guy is good.' You’re not that f***ing good. I don’t care how many points you’re averaging. If Jordan says you should do this, you should do it. A lot of times, instead of being into your feelings, just listen to what the greatest player who's ever played the game has to say. I would love to be playing right now listening to Jordan. Like ‘Shaq tries to go to the middle, maybe he should use finesse game.’ You know what I’m going to do when I hear that s***? I’m going to go home and practice all my finesse s***. And then the next game, I'm going to be trying to show Mike that, 'Hey Mr. Jordan, I have finesse in my game, too.' So, for anybody to say that Mike is hating after he makes a good comment or a bad comment, it don't even sound right. But I know people would love to hear from him."

Jordan doesn’t need to scream to be heard. He just has to talk. And now, thanks to NBC, we’re finally going to get to hear him do it. 

NBC’s Full Roster

Michael Jordan isn’t the only big name joining NBC’s NBA coverage next season. The network has built out a deep, all-star broadcast team filled with basketball credibility. On the play-by-play side, they’re leading with Mike Tirico, who’ll be the voice of Sunday Night Basketball once his football and Olympic duties lighten up. Noah Eagle will cover a big chunk of regular-season games, especially early in the year, while Tirico juggles everything else.

For in-game analysis, NBC is pairing Tirico and Eagle with two standout voices: Reggie Miller and Jamal Crawford. Reggie brings his decades of experience — both as a Hall of Fame sharpshooter and as a longtime TNT voice. He knows how to work a national broadcast and isn’t afraid to speak his mind. Crawford, who just wrapped up a successful run on TNT as well, brings more of a modern player’s lens. He’s one of the most respected hoop minds around and someone who can break down handles and modern scoring with swagger.

In the studio, NBC is going with a one-two punch of former stars who’ve lived it all: Carmelo Anthony and Vince Carter. Melo is expected to be in the studio multiple nights per week, giving insight on the current game from a recently-retired perspective. Vince, who just entered the Hall of Fame in 2024, will bring his smooth on-camera presence and high-IQ breakdowns to the desk as well.

The vibe NBC is building definitely leans into something like a TNT-style formula — smart, entertaining, and built on the chemistry of people who’ve lived the game. Only this version adds in the GOAT’s voice in key moments, and that’s not something any other network can match.

The GOAT’s Voice Is Back

There’s never been a shortage of NBA talk, but what we rarely get is real, unfiltered insight from someone who actually lived it at the highest level. Michael Jordan isn’t just a talking head — they’ve brought in the guy who was the headline for over a decade.

We don’t know exactly how often we’ll hear from him — maybe a few times a month, maybe just when it matters most — but that’s part of what makes it special. Jordan’s not going to be around to overanalyze every buzzer-beater or mid-season slump. He’s going to drop in, deliver his take, and let it ripple across the basketball world.