Michael Jordan joins NBC as the network revives its NBA coverage

Basketball fable Michael Jordan speaks during a property league up of an NBA hoops crippled betwixt the Charlotte Hornets and Milwaukee Bucks successful Paris, Jan. 24, 2020. Thibault Camus/AP hide caption

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Thibault Camus/AP

Basketball fable Michael Jordan is taking his talents to television.

NBC Sports announced Monday helium volition beryllium joining its programming arsenic a contributor erstwhile the upcoming NBA play starts successful October.

"I americium truthful excited to spot the NBA backmost connected NBC," Jordan said successful a connection released by the network. "The NBA connected NBC was a meaningful portion of my career, and I'm excited astir being a peculiar contributor to the project. I'm looking guardant to seeing you each erstwhile the NBA connected NBC launches this October."

Fans expressed astonishment and excitement connected societal media astatine Jordan's crook to commentating. He has mostly lived a backstage beingness since leaving the NBA.

But his sanction is inactive wide discussed successful sports circles, particularly erstwhile it comes to the NBA's top of each clip (GOAT) debate. One X idiosyncratic wrote, "he got bushed of folks not emphatically reminding viewers helium volition ever beryllium GOAT- nary 1 similar Michael Jordan and it's astir clip his dependable is back."

"Yall played with Michael Jordan sanction excessively overmuch connected these statement shows, truthful helium had to travel outside!" another idiosyncratic said.

Jordan spent 15 seasons successful the NBA, during which helium won six championships with the Chicago Bulls. He was named Finals MVP successful each six championships, holds the grounds for the astir points scored per crippled and has been inducted into the Hall of Fame. He is besides a number proprietor of the NBA's Charlotte Hornets.

NBC archetypal broadcast NBA games from 1954 to 1962 and again from 1990 to 2002. In the 90s, it broadcast immoderate of the biggest moments successful basketball, specified arsenic the 1992 Olympics "Dream Team," Jordan's championships and his instrumentality to hoops aft helium took a interruption to play nonrecreational baseball.

Last July, NBCUniversal said it struck a woody with the NBA to broadcast NBA and WNBA games for the adjacent 11 years.

The "Roundball Rock" taxable opus of the 90s amusement volition beryllium returning. Other commentators volition see NBA veterans Jamal Crawford, Carmelo Anthony and Reggie Miller.