Earlier this year, the NBA announced a new halftime series with Peacock streaming services: “MJ: Insights to Excellence,” featuring the one and only Michael Jordan. The news was shocking for the sports world, as Jordan has largely avoided the public spotlight since his retirement. For him to step back in front of NBA audiences again, this time ready to share his wisdom, has had basketball fans sitting on the edge of their seats.
On Tuesday, October 21, the first episode of Jordan’s new series aired during halftime of the Oklahoma City Thunder and Houston Rockets game. The NBA legend revealed that he hasn’t picked up a basketball in years and shared a memory of feeling “the most nervous I’ve been in years” when asked to shoot a free throw in front of kids during a stay at a rental house for the Ryder Cup.
Many were charmed by Jordan’s candor, but Jason Whitlock says his “insights” flopped.
He was expecting basketball analysis, not personal anecdotes.
“This is [Shai Gilgeous-Alexander] and the Oklahoma City Thunder raising a banner, getting championship rings — the future of the NBA versus the past of the NBA in Kevin Durant, and we had time to go hear stories about Michael Jordan shooting a free throw?” he complains.
Jason doesn’t understand why the entirety of sports media is “genuflecting” to Jordan and treating him “as an idol” when all he did was share some personal stories. “Michael Jordan did nothing, and we shouldn’t be celebrating it,” he says, calling himself an “iconoclast” who wants to “tear down icons.”
“Fearless” guest Jay Skapinac, host of “Skap Attack,” agrees: “I was led to believe that this was going to be Michael Jordan kind of as an NBA analyst, not regaling us with stories of what he’s been doing for the last 25, 30 years outside of the NBA.”
His fear is that “MJ: Insights to Excellence” is actually just a long pre-recorded interview that the NBA is going to chop up and slow-release throughout the season.
T.J. Moe, however, completely understands the hype surrounding Jordan’s series. “When people don’t speak very often, people’s ears perk up when that person speaks. The first time we heard Michael Jordan say virtually anything since his retirement was ‘The Last Dance,’ and people were captivated by that. I don’t think we should be surprised that people are somewhat captivated by just seeing inside of a guy’s life that is a total mystery,” he counters.
But Jason’s opinion is set: Jordan’s “insights” are a distraction from the game. “NBC screwed up here.”
To hear more of the debate, watch the episode above.
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