NBCUniversal announced that basketball hall of famer Michael Jordan will serve as a special contributor to the network’s presentation of the NBA, coming this fall, at the network’s upfront presentation earlier this month. This will be the first official journey into the world of sports media for the global basketball icon. However, NBC has not officially stated what Jordan’s role will be in the network presentation yet, leading to speculation by many across the industry.
Meanwhile, former Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn, who co-hosts on FOX Sports Radio’s 2 Pros and a Cup of Joe, has a theory as to why Jordan would even consider a leap into sports media in the first place.
“Michael Jordan is the greatest of all time in basketball, fair enough,” said Quinn. “I think this is a GOAT move by the GOAT in Michael Jordan, to jump ahead of where I think LeBron James would want to be at some point in time. And if you were the GOAT, and if you were the authoritative figure when you’re on a major network like this, you’re a part of the broadcast, the coverage, it’s going to speak volumes.”
Quinn’s rationale is based on the heightened debate over who is the greatest basketball player of all time, which has led more and more people to insert LeBron James’ name into that discussion. As a result, the former standout Irish signal caller theorized that Jordan would want to beat James to the punch by entering the sports media landscape and building his own voice first—before LeBron would even have the chance to.
“LeBron James likes trying to control the narrative,” Quinn said. “In this case, [he] can’t really control the narrative, because no one’s going to want to listen to him as much as they will to Michael Jordan, in my opinion.”
To date, James has not stated if he has any interest in joining the ranks of sports media once his career is over. However, he has dabbled in podcasting with Mind The Game alongside Steve Nash and formerly JJ Redick.
NBC, which broadcast NBA games from 1990 to 2002, signed an 11-year agreement with the NBA to return to broadcasting games beginning next season. Specifically, Peacock will livestream exclusive national Monday night games, while NBC/Peacock will present national coverage of regional doubleheaders on Tuesday nights. Additionally, NBC Sports will launch Sunday Night Basketball in 2026 across NBC and Peacock, thereby providing NBA fans with three consecutive nights of national coverage across NBCUniversal platforms during the second half of the regular season.
Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. To stay updated, sign up for our newsletters and get the latest information delivered straight to your inbox.
