Charles Barkley Uses TNT’s $2.5 Billion Deal With The NBA To Justify Michael Jordan Coming To NBC

One of the most anticipated storylines heading into the 2025–26 NBA season is the return of Michael Jordan. Not on the court, sadly — we can’t turn back Father Time — but His Airness will be joining NBC as a special analyst throughout the year. The exact nature of his role hasn’t been publicly defined yet, but that hasn’t stopped it from becoming a major talking point.

Dan Patrick and NBA legend Charles Barkley discussed the topic on the latest episode of Patrick’s podcast. Jordan has been largely absent from the modern NBA landscape, even during his time as majority owner of the Charlotte Hornets (formerly the Bobcats). The six-time champion took over as majority owner in 2010 and held that role until 2023, though you’d hardly know it, given how rarely fans actually saw him in that capacity.

So when Patrick asked Barkley what Jordan’s new role at NBC might involve, the 11-time All-Star admitted he was just as in the dark as everyone else.

“That’s a great question. I don’t know,” stated Barkley. “I don’t see Michael being on television a lot, to be honest with you.”

Chuck then clarified that while he didn’t know what Jordan would be doing, he still thinks he’s the GOAT. “I think it’s great that he’s gonna be part of the NBA. In my opinion, no disrespect to Kobe or LeBron, he’s the greatest player I’ve seen. I have no idea why he’s doing it, but he’s a welcome addition,” he said.

There’s no denying MJ’s credentials on the court. But in a media role? This could be the first time Jordan gets to weigh in on the GOAT conversations that have been ongoing without him. Will he throw shade at stars like LeBron James or Kobe Bryant, since he went undefeated in the Finals? Or will he bring the same charismatic confidence we saw on full display in Netflix’s superhit docuseries The Last Dance?

One point Barkley touched on that’s worth noting is money. He mentioned that since NBC paid so much for the NBA media rights, they likely need a big draw like MJ to attract viewers.

“The money that NBC, Amazon, and ESPN are paying. We were paying $1.2 billion a year. It goes up to $2.5 billion. Those numbers don’t compute. You gonna have to do everything in your power to draw fans,” predicted the 1993 MVP.

It’s a fair prediction. But the truth is, Chuck doesn’t know the real reason, and Jordan won’t tell him — the two are no longer close.

The basketball greats aren’t on speaking terms anymore. Many believe the rift began when Barkley criticized Jordan’s tenure as Charlotte owner, especially his remarks about Jordan needing to surround himself with better people.

Jordan isn’t exactly a man who craves the limelight. He seems to enjoy a low-key life now that his dominant on-court days are behind him. It will be interesting to see how much he throws himself back into the NBA machine. Maybe his presence will bring some fresh excitement to the media side of the game. Hopefully, he doesn’t turn into another Kendrick Perkins — known for his bold and sometimes controversial takes.