When NBC announced that Michael Jordan would be a “special contributor” to its NBA coverage starting next season, the news confused many longtime basketball fans and media members.
Jordan has never seemed motivated to become a broadcaster or member of the media. When it was revealed that his appearances would be limited to a few pre-taped segments, that seemed to make more sense. Still, what would draw the reclusive NBA legend into the media limelight now?
“I know this: if Jordan is doing this, it’s got to be a huge payday,” Dominique Wilkins told Kyle Odegard of eSports Insider in May. “Huge. I’ve seen some of the rumors (on pay), and it’s like, ‘I get it.'”
What Wilkins may have been referring to was a rumor that Jordan was getting $40 million per year, which would make him the highest-paid broadcaster in American television. For reference, Tom Brady’s Fox Sports deal pays him $37.5 million per year.
It’s unclear where the $40 million number came from. The U.S. Sun claimed it to be true in an article published on May 31. It spread on social media and even came up during Stephen A. Smith’s appearance on Patrick Bet-David’s PBD Podcast last week.
However, according to Front Office Sports’ Ryan Glasspiegel, that sizable number isn’t accurate.
“A source tells Front Office Sports that this number, which is about twice what Charles Barkley makes per year from TNT, is inaccurate,” Glasspiegel wrote. “NBC declined to comment.”
While $40 million per year did indeed sound astronomical for what is likely to be a limited role across the NBA season, we still have to imagine Jordan is getting very well compensated. Given what we know about him, he’s not the kind of guy to do something like this for charity.