Nobody seems quite sure what to expect when it comes to Michael Jordan’s new gig on NBC.
But regardless of whether His Airness is willing to give the current generation of NBA stars their flowers, Paul George expects his presence to be a big win for the league.
“I think that alone is going to bring traffic to the NBA,” George said on the latest episode of Podcast P with Paul George. “The views alone from just hearing MJ — like, ‘I ain’t even gotta watch the game. I can go do what I gotta do and hear MJ talk about this s*it.”
To be clear, both NBC and the NBA are hopeful that viewers will stick around to watch the games. And at this point, it remains unclear exactly how often Jordan will appear on television in his unspecified role as a “special contributor.”
Still, it’s undeniable that when the 6-time NBA champion is on TV, people will be paying attention. And the fact that he has largely shied away from the spotlight — at least in the basketball world — since retiring should only add to the appeal of Jordan’s influence on the modern game.
As for what the 62-year-old’s role at NBC will entail, not only do we not know how often he’ll be on TV, but we also have to learn the full scope of what exactly he’ll be doing when he is part of the network’s coverage. The most we know comes via CNBC’s Alex Sherman, who reported that the Chicago Bulls legend will be initially “appear in taped segments during the season to provide analysis that will air during pregame shows or halftime shows.”
Whether his role expands from there will likely depend on a variety of factors, perhaps the most significant being his own willingness to increase his workload. But regardless of what he’s doing, it’s a safe bet that he’ll be attracting plenty of viewers, some of whom might even stick around to watch the games too.
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.