Michael Jordan, widely considered the greatest basketball player of all time, is set to return to the NBA next season. While he won’t be suiting up and stepping on the court, he’ll be taking on a new role. With the league’s broadcast moving from TNT to NBC for the 2025-26 season, Jordan will serve as a "special contributor" for NBC’s coverage.
His exact role hasn’t been announced, but getting the six-time NBA champion to come out of retirement and appear on television likely took a lot. On the "PBD Podcast," Patrick Bet-David mentioned that Jordan is reportedly receiving a $40 million annual deal.
Michael Jordan is honored for being selected to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team during halftime in the 2022 NBA All-Star Game at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.
Michael Jordan is honored for being selected to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team.
Kyle Terada-Imagn Images
On Monday, Ryan Glasspiegel of Front Office Sports (FOS) confirmed that the amount is inaccurate.
"A source tells Front Office Sports that this number, which is about twice what Charles Barkley makes per year from TNT, is inaccurate. NBC declined to comment," Glasspiegel wrote.
Despite the NBA’s coverage moving on from TNT, Barkley is still under contract with the network as he prepares to work for both TNT and ESPN next season. He signed a 10-year, $210 million extension with TNT in 2022, according to FOS's Michael McCarthy.
ESPN's Stephen A. Smith was on that episode of the "PDBD Podcast" and shared he thinks Jordan will be "brutally honest" when he's on the air next season.
"Let me tell you something about Michael Jordan: He’s going to be brutally honest—oh, I can assure you that,” Smith said. "He’s not going to be somebody who’s going to be passive…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."