thelesterlee
The greatest basketball player of all time is returning to the NBA world, just when we need him the least, to join next year’s NBC broadcasts as a “special contributor”.
A legendary addition to our team!
We’re thrilled to welcome Michael Jordan as a special contributor to the NBA on NBC and Peacock. pic.twitter.com/Pjsq8tokfi
— NBA on NBC and Peacock (@NBAonNBC) May 12, 2025
Here’s what Jordan said about the new gig:
“I am so excited to see the NBA back on NBC. The NBA on NBC was a meaningful part of my career, and I’m excited about being a special contributor to the project. I’m looking forward to seeing you all when the NBA on NBC launches this October.”
Michael Jordan is the legendary cherry on top of what looks to be monster broadcast squad for NBC.
Mike Tirico. Noah Eagle. Vince Carter. Carmelo Anthony. Jamal Crawford. Reggie Miller.
And now Michael Jordan, zooming in from his fortress.
Sick.
Why this Michael Jordan NBC idea sucks
A few weeks ago, I applauded Ken Griffey Jr for pursuing a post-Hall of Fame baseball career as a photographer, minding his own business and just taking beautiful shots of The Masters.
Ken Griffey Jr was the textbook definition of cool back when I wore a younger man’s clothes. He was worth looking up to.
In a world where former players cannot resist jumping in front of mics and cameras to tell you how great they were and how much better things were in their era, Ken Griffey Jr remains above the fray—disinterested in the minuscule sports gambling checks these retired players are twerking on cam to obtain.
I have no idea what Ken Griffey Jr thinks about today’s era vs. his. No idea who he voted for (although I have an idea, considering his tax bracket).
Michael Jordan is one of the most beloved athletes of all time and he’s about to enter a media machine built on isolating controversial clips and quotes and the virality induced by the avalanche of reactions to said controversial clip.
Social media is borderline unusable today because algorithms have prioritized and incentivized the most ludicrous, despicable, cruel and brainless content.
We all know Michael Jordan as competitive, right?
What’s going to happen the first time he goes viral, gets the numbers back and sees he had higher numbers than ESPN?
MJ is going to start swinging for the fences—and much like his days on the White Sox—he’s going to be swinging and missing more often than not.
A new generation of kids will now know Michael Jordan as the grumy, yellow-eyed asshole who doesn’t think Anthony Edwards can win a championship because he shoots too many 3’s or he’ll say something hypocritical like “players today are too friendly” even though he was literally golfing with Charles Barkley in the middle of the Bulls/Sun NBA Finals.
And then he’ll be all over my timelines as the Great Protectors—burdened with their inability to scroll past nonsense without letting all of their followers know how wrong something is—line up to correct him.
And then the meatriders roll in behind them to save their king because there is nothing on this Earth meatriders love more than coming to the aid of rich celebrities who would shoot them directly in the face if it meant they got to keep their car collections.
Michael Jordan is about to be a major part of our lives and it’ll have nothing to do with his heroics on the court.
Everyone go back and watch his 10-part documentary before he becomes another lazy, hot take addict, flooding your newsfeed with slop.
Thank you, NBC.
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