Michael Jordan made his broadcasting debut Tuesday.
Jordan, who is working for NBC’s broadcasting team, made his first appearance during halftime of the Houston Rockets-Oklahoma City Thunder game. Many tuned in to see what the disputable G.O.A.T. would discuss, and it did not disappoint.
While it was a rather short segment, Jordan still slipped in quite a shocking story related to basketball.
When Is the Last Time Michael Jordan Shot a Basketball?
Jordan has his own segment on NBA on NBC called “MJ: Insights to Excellence,” where he will discuss various topics with co-host Mike Tirico at halftime of games. He is considered a “special contributor” to NBC’s broadcasts.
When speaking with Tirico, the Chicago Bulls legend was asked, “Do you ever just pick up a ball and just shoot?”
“I haven’t picked up a ball in years,” Jordan shared. “I was at the Ryder Cup, and I rented a house from the owner. He came over to do pictures. He had grandkids, and I was [doing a] meet and greet and thanking him for allowing me to stay at the house, and he had a basketball court. He said, ‘I want you to shoot one free throw,’ and I said, ‘Really?'”
Jordan continued, “And I already paid for the house, so when I stepped up to shoot the free throw, it was the most nervous I had been in years. The reason being is those kids heard the stories from their parents about what I did 30 years ago, so the expectation is 30 years prior, and I haven’t touched a basketball.”
“I hope you swished it,” Mike Tirico replied.
“Absolutely, I got the most gratifying event that made my whole week is that I was able to please that kid, not knowing if I could.”
Many have looked forward to Jordan’s commentary, and for good reason. Viewers will regularly get to see his analysis on the channel that he regularly dominated nightly in the 1990s (and technically two years of the 2000s).
NBA fans can’t wait to hear Jordan break down the league’s top teams and players because, simply put, it’s Michael Jordan. Jordan is sure to provide his own unfiltered views, which should give NBC plenty of entertainment value through its coverage of NBA games.
Whether viewers think he is the best basketball player of all time or not, NBC landing him as part of their broadcast team was a genius move to get fans to tune in.
