Michael Jordan played his final NBA game in the 2002-03 season. Since then, it hasn't been too often that fans get to hear from him.
While the Chicago Bulls legend was the owner of the Charlotte Hornets for some time, showing his face every once in a while, he's rarely participated in interviews in the last few decades. So, when NBC announced that Jordan would be sitting down for "Insights To Excellence" interviews throughout the 2025-26 season as the network returned to NBA coverage, fans were interested.
On Tuesday night, Jordan made his first appearance on NBC airwaves, with a portion of his interview with Mike Tirico airing at halftime of the Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Houston Rockets matchup.
Here's what Jordan said in the interview and what's known about his contract with NBC.
MORE: Top reactions, reviews from NBC's debut night covering the NBA
Michael Jordan NBC interview
NBC has made Jordan's involvement in its looming NBA broadcasts known, and it advertised the first appearance from the legend at halftime of Thunder vs. Rockets. When the game reached the break, the first "Insights to Excellence" clip aired.
Michael Jordan on NBC 👀 pic.twitter.com/C417tBt0c5
— The Sporting News (@sportingnews) October 22, 2025
Jordan primarily spoke about what he does now in his older years, whether or not he still plays any basketball, and why he decided to join NBC in a limited role to offer his insights.
The former Bulls star opened the segment by saying that fans "probably don't see enough of me" because he's trying to get the time from his NBA career back to spend with family and do other things he once didn't have room for.
Jordan, however, said he hasn't "picked up a ball in years," telling a story of when he shot a free-throw for the first time in a long while.
As for the explanation behind his decision to talk basketball with NBC, Jordan said he feels an obligation to the game.
"I love [basketball] like you wouldn't believe. I mean, honestly I wish I could take a magic pill, put on shorts and go out and play the game of basketball today. Because that's who I am," Jordan said. "I miss it. ... but it's better for me to be sitting here talking to you, as opposed to popping my Achilles."
Here is the full Jordan interview from Tuesday night:
“We have an obligation to pay it forward. That’s part of what this is all about.”
Watch Michael Jordan’s first conversation with Mike Tirico in the first edition of MJ: Insights To Excellence. pic.twitter.com/7tfzGm6SpM
— NBA on NBC and Peacock (@NBAonNBC) October 22, 2025
NBC also teased that Jordan would talk about load management in the current NBA and more in his next appearance.
MORE:Why are Michael Jordan's eyes yellow?
What is Michael Jordan's contract with NBC?
Jordan's salary as a "special contributor" to the NBA on NBC is officially unknown.
There were rumors going around that he was making $40 million per season, which would make him the highest-paid NBA TV analyst out there, but Front Office Sports reported in June that that number is "inaccurate."