Charles Barkley did not mince words when discussing NBC Sports’ use of Michael Jordan during the network’s NBA coverage this season, calling the approach disappointing and damaging to NBC’s credibility.
Appearing on SiriusXM NBA Radio, the longtime Inside the NBA analyst voiced frustration with Jordan’s limited involvement. He said the heavily promoted role amounted to little more than a single interview stretched across months of programming
“I was excited to have Michael because Michael Jordan is the reason we all make this money from the NBA,” Barkley said. “We need Michael Jordan affiliated with the NBA. But now you see this thing coming out with NBC and you’re like, ‘Wait, you all did one interview five months ago and you’re all gonna sprinkle it throughout the season?’ Come on, man.”
Barkley has long believed the NBA benefits greatly from Jordan’s presence. He went further by calling the strategy misleading to viewers. He said fans were led to believe Jordan would play a meaningful role throughout the season.
He described the execution as disingenuous and said it fell far short of expectations created by NBC’s promotional buildup.
“That’s disingenuous by NBC,” Barkley added. “That’s crazy. I’m so disappointed at the way that worked out.”
Criticism of the Jordan segments even reached NBC Sports play-by-play voice Mike Tirico who opened up about his series of Insights to Excellence segments last week. He acknowledged that while the segments might not have answered every fan question, the value of hearing Jordan’s perspective firsthand was undeniable.
“Was it what everyone wanted? Probably not. Was it better than not having Michael Jordan? You’re damn right it was,” said Tirico via the SI Media Podcast with Jimmy Traina.
Barkley’s criticism highlights a broader issue facing sports media companies as they lean heavily on star power to attract audiences. With Jordan remaining one of the most influential figures in sports history, his association still carries enormous weight decades after his final NBA game. When networks advertise that level of involvement, industry observers often expect consistent, original content rather than recycled material.
According to Barkley, NBC had ample opportunity to deliver on that promise. He questioned why the network did not arrange regular sit-downs with Jordan, suggesting that even monthly interviews would have justified the hype surrounding his involvement.
“It’s a bad look for NBC, it’s just a bad look, plain and simple,” Barkley said. “They couldn’t fly to Michael like once a month and do a new interview? That makes NBC look really bad, plain and simple.”
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