NBA
NBC’s Michael Jordan said he misses the ‘competitiveness’ of playing in the NBA
Zach Wolpin is an NBA and NFL expert who's been betting on the league for over three years now. Wolpin has been a fan of the NBA and has been watching for a decade and a half. He covers the latest news and stories surrounding the league daily. His passion in life is watching sports and being able to share that through his sports writing. He has written about the NBA and other sports leagues through various media outlets over the years like Sir Charles In Charge, G-Men HQ, and TAP into South Plainfield. Before he became an NBA News Writer, Wolpin attended Montclair State University where he graduated in 2021. He studied Sports Media and Writing while in school.
All posts by Zach WolpinUpdated22 Oct 2025
On Tuesday evening, the opening night of the 2025-26 NBA season kicked off. First, the Rockets were on the road at 7:30 p.m. EST to face the Thunder. At 10:00 p.m. EST, the Warriors were in Los Angeles for a matchup vs. the Lakers.
Opening night festivities were held on the National Broadcasting Company (NBC). Joining NBC as a special contributor was Hall of Famer Michael Jordan. At halftime of the 7:30 p.m. game, NBC aired a new series called “MJ: Insights to Excellence.” On Tuesday, Jordan told NBC’s Mike Tirico that he misses the “competitiveness” of playing in the NBA.
Michael Jordan wishes he could take a magic pill that would allow him to play in the NBA
“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. That type of competition… competitiveness… is what I live for. And I miss it.”
– Michael Jordan
(h/t @rayalmeda ) pic.twitter.com/rQmChGqdDi
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) October 22, 2025
For the first time in nearly 25 years, the NBA is back on the NBC. On Tuesday night, fans tuned in to see the first game of the season. However, they were also there to hear John Tesh’s famed “Roundball Rock.” It’s the famous soundtrack that was the theme of the NBA on NBC for years. As part of NBC’s push back into the NBA, the company has hired one of the league’s most dominant players.
Six-time NBA champion and Hall of Famer Michael Jordan has joined NBC as a special contributor. As a player, Jordan said he has “an obligation to the game of basketball.” Basketball has given Jordan everything he could have dreamed of in life and then some. That’s why Jordan wants to “pay it forward” for the next generation of players.
“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
As part of his new role with NBC, Michael Jordan will have a series called “MJ: Insights to Excellence.” Jordan sat down with veteran play-by-play broadcaster Mike Tirico for a one-on-one interview. They discussed several topics on Tuesday’s debut episode. Jordan told Tirico that he misses the “competitiveness” of playing in the NBA. MJ still has the itch to go out and compete to win.
At 62 years old, Jordan is not competing on the court. He joked that he would tear his Achilles tendon if he tried to pick up a ball and play. While Jordan can’t compete on the court, he has other means of staying active. Even during his playing career, it was well known that Michael Jordan loved to golf. That hasn’t changed over time. Golf is a sport that doesn’t require elite explosiveness and movement. Hence why Jordan is still able to compete and scratch that itch. Next Tuesday, October 28, will be Jordan’s second installment of his series with NBC. He’s expected to discuss the topic of load management.
