Michael Jordan believes today's NBA stars deserve more respect

With NBA legend Michael Jordan reportedly set to join NBC Sports as a special contributor in the 2025-26 NBA season, he's ready to change the narrative around today's NBA and finally put an end to the "GOAT" discourse.

There is no shortage of debates about the old-school style of basketball, typically referring to the 1980s and 1990s, versus the modern NBA. You can find disagreements between pundits on sports shows, such as ESPN’s "First Take" and "Get Up," as well as FS1’s "First Things First," and the numerous player podcasts where this is a hot-button topic. 

Remember when LeBron James said Giannis Antetokounmpo would score 250+ points in a game during the 1970s, and Stephen A. Smith lost his mind? Netizens quickly pointed out that no one bats an eye when the older generation of NBA fans says that Jordan would average 40 or 50 in today's game, but that's the nature of what things have devolved into. 

There's no respect for the game today, and that's something everyone can feel, including the person many have deemed to be the greatest player ever to touch a basketball. 

Let the players define their own legacies

In a refreshingly candid display of love for the game, Jordan called a ceasefire to the debate, which has only served to denigrate the new crop of players currently populating the sport.

After many frustrating "GOAT" discussions and battles of the eras among fans, MJ himself sees it all as more harmful than helpful. 

“Mike told us flat-out," an associate who’s in close connection with NBC producers said. "If hearing it from him is what it takes for these fans to stop disrespecting guys like LeBron, Steph, or even Harden, then so be it. He wants the game to move forward.

“If I say it’s okay to call these guys great, maybe my fans will listen. Maybe then they’ll stop tearing the game down.”

As per this report, Jordan is tired of his name being used in the "GOAT" argument. He seems to feel that the debate in itself is tainted and toxic. According to a retired coach who is familiar with Jordan, “It’s a cult. And MJ is tired of being the golden calf.”

In a league where every player lives in MJ’s shadow, nobody feels the brunt of that scrutiny more than LeBron.

LeBron could win a championship at age 50 while playing power forward, point guard and team chef, and someone would still ask, “But could he survive a hand-check from Vernon Maxwell?” Every win gets dissected until it becomes a loss. Every record broken gets couched with, “Yeah, but Jordan did it in fewer games.” It's shameful at this point, and getting worse.

Nostalgia is lowering the value of today's league

It’s become fashionable to complain that the modern NBA is “soft,” that players take too many threes, that the mid-range game is “dead,” or that it’s all highlights and no defense. 

But that take is a gross misrepresentation of how the game has evolved. 

The NBA has never been more skilled. You’ve got 7-footers like Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid who pass like point guards and shoot like wings. You’ve got Steph Curry changing geometry with how far defenses have to stretch. Even role players are pulling up from 30 feet with precision shooting at a volume and consistency we’ve never seen. 

Imagine telling a fan in 1995 that the league’s MVP might be a Serbian center who throws full-court dimes and casually hits step-back threes. That sounds like a glitch.

According to Jordan, “This era has some of the most skilled players we’ve ever seen. It’s time fans start appreciating that." 

Basketball has evolved. Sit back and enjoy the show.