Michael Jordan, a six-time NBA champion and member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, will be taking part in the NBA on NBC broadcast property as a special contributor. NBC Sports made the announcement at its Upfront event last month, and since that time, there has been speculation and intrigue surrounding what exactly his role will entail and how he will go about communicating his insights and expertise to viewers. Stephen A. Smith, featured commentator on ESPN First Take and incoming SiriusXM Mad Dog Sports Radio host, shed his perspective on the situation having spoken to Jordan on numerous occasions.
In conversation with Patrick Bet-David on the PBD Podcast, Smith rendered it clear that Jordan would be sincere on the airwaves. On top of that, he explained that Jordan has had a “longstanding relationship” with NBC, citing an executive who convinced him to return to the airwaves in the new role. While the parameters surrounding what aspects of the broadcast in which Jordan will participate are unknown, it has created additional buzz and nostalgia behind the return of live game broadcasts to the network.
“He’s going to be brutally honest,” Smith said. “Oh, I can assure you that. He’s not going to be somebody that’s going to be passive about – not the Michael Jordan I know. The Michael Jordan I know, when talking basketball, he is as candid as it gets. He ain’t trying to hurt nobody’s feelings, he ain’t trying to be insulting, but he’s going to tell you what’s going on.’”
Smith conveyed that he is proud of Jordan for taking on the new role despite recognizing how he never wishes to be interviewed and other things. Having an estimated net worth of more than $3 billion, he acknowledged that Jordan can think that he is wasting his time. Yet Smith told him to stop acting as if he had nothing to say about the game just because he was retired, affirming that he discusses it all of the time.
“I’m literally talking about getting a call, ‘What the hell did I just hear you say? Call me, call me now,’” Smith said of Jordan. “[He is] like, ‘What the hell you say that for? That don’t make no damn sense.’”
Smith outlined the difference in how the late-Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant used to communicate with him in a more aggressive manner. In fact, he explained how Bryant would tell him not to do another one of his 12 jobs and to instead pick up the phone and call him immediately. While Jordan does not act in the same manner, Smith knows that he is candid and does not believe he will be reserved towards disclosing his thoughts on the sport.
“A matter of fact, if he is, he’s going to have to deal with me because I’m going to be in his ear telling him, ‘Oh, we getting shy now?,’” Smith explained. “‘That’s what we doing, that’s what we doing? That ain’t the MJ I know. What you doing? Let’s go.’”
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