Today’s NBA is a league of millionaires, and Michael Jordan gets as much credit for that as anyone else. MJ changed the game in the ’90s, becoming a global superstar. Jerry West might be the NBA’s logo, but Jordan’s Jumpman is just as recognizable. But Jordan thinks some modern stars are making a key branding mistake.
Building a brand is important for any elite basketball player to maximize their earning potential. However, quite a few modern stars end up more focused on the commercial side of things than basketball. And in a recent clip, MJ has explained that this is where they fail to emulate his Jordan Brand strategy.
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Michael Jordan: "Now, everybody has to have a logo… I'm pretty sure I'm part of the reason why everybody tries to get a logo (brand). But the thing is, that brand was established based on what I did on the basketball court. I didn't put the brand before I put the work…" 🐐 pic.twitter.com/Pk37WpzHmB
— ⟁ follow @fsh733 ⟁ (@fsh733) December 3, 2025
“Now it’s like a prerequisite: Everybody has to have a logo,” Jordan said. “I’m part of the reason why everybody tries to get a logo and brand, but the thing is that the brand was established based on what I did on the basketball court.
“I didn’t put the brand before I put the work. I put the work first, and then the brand evolved based on the work. Generationally, I like to think that most of the time, people will remember Michael Jordan based on what he did on the basketball court and not always the commercials that he did.”
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Chicago Bulls guard Michael Jordan dunks in game two of the 1998 NBA Finals against the Utah Jazz. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY
Jordan’s success was predicated on his six NBA championships and five MVPs as much as anything else. He won consistently, which is what allowed him to gain commercial success. Modern stars would do well to heed his advice. MJ is worth an estimated $3.8 billion now, and he knows what he’s talking about.
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