Michael Jordan spent two decades avoiding the spotlight after hanging up his sneakers for good, but a rare sit-down with “CBS Mornings” co-host Gayle King this week pulled back the curtain on something he rarely talks about publicly.
Michael Jordan’s Honest Confession About Missing the NBA
When King asked Jordan whether there is a small part of him that still misses basketball, he did not hesitate.
Michael Jordan takes his “competitive gene” off the court and onto the @NASCAR track as co-owner of @23XIRacing.@GayleKing sits down with the basketball legend to talk about his passion for winning, his legal fight to change the sport, and how he channels his drive into new… pic.twitter.com/BliiK2iy0m
— CBS Sunday Morning 🌞 (@CBSSunday) March 29, 2026
“Oh yeah, 100%. It’s not just a teeny, it’s a huge piece, but I’ve compensated that feeling through NASCAR, but that urge to dream that if I wish I could still pick up a basketball, I would love to do that. Believe me, my competitive juices are set. Yeah, I would definitely love to do that,” Jordan said.
For anyone who grew up watching Jordan dissect defenses and close out games at the United Center, that answer hits differently. This is the man who averaged 30.1 points per game across his career, who won six NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls, and who walked away with six Finals MVP trophies.
The idea that he still dreams about playing is not just a sentimental sound bite. It tells you everything about why he was able to dominate the sport the way he did for so long.
Jordan officially retired in 2003 after two seasons with the Washington Wizards. He transitioned into team ownership with the Charlotte Hornets, holding a majority stake in the franchise from 2010 until he sold the team in 2023.
His tenure as an owner was polarizing. The Hornets rarely contended, and the criticism was consistent.
But even in that role, Jordan was not chasing headlines. He was chasing wins, the same way he always had been.
The NBA side of his post-playing life took a notable turn heading into the 2025-26 season when NBC announced Jordan would serve as a special contributor to its NBA coverage. It was part of the network’s new 11-year, $27 billion deal with the league, and Jordan was the biggest name they brought in to kick things off.
During the “CBS Mornings” interview with King, which she said was 10 years in the making, she offered a glimpse into where his head is at. He is not done competing. He has just found a different track to take.
The competitive joy is clearly still there. But so is the longing. For Jordan, NASCAR fills the void left by basketball, and by most measures, it is doing a remarkable job of that.
Still, when Gayle King asked him that simple question, the answer that came out was not about race wins, charter settlements, or points standings. It was about a basketball and the wish that he could still pick one up.
Some things do not change, no matter how many years pass or how many sports you conquer on the way out.
