It was halftime of the Thunder-Rockets season opener. The basketball world buzzed with anticipation. On NBC’s newly relaunched NBA broadcast, the world’s most iconic basketball player sat across from Mike Tirico, not in a jersey, but in a tailored suit. And then, Michael Jordan said the words that stopped fans in their tracks:
“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.”
“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
Jordan’s new series, Insights to Excellence, debuted Tuesday night during halftime of NBC’s NBA coverage. In each episode, Jordan sits down with athletes, entrepreneurs, and cultural leaders to explore what drives elite performance. But in the premiere, the spotlight was squarely on him.
The conversation with Tirico was raw, reflective, and deeply personal. Jordan’s quote wasn’t scripted. It wasn’t polished. It was honest.
He talked about waking up with the urge to compete, about missing the locker room, the preparation, the pressure. “That’s who I am,” he said. “And I miss it.”
It was a reminder that greatness isn’t just about talent, it’s about obsession. And for Jordan, that obsession never left.
The timing of the series couldn’t be more fitting. NBC’s return to NBA broadcasting after a 23-year hiatus is a nostalgic homecoming for fans who grew up with the network’s iconic coverage. Jordan’s presence on opening night was both symbolic and strategic; a bridge between eras.
Insights to Excellence will air throughout the 2025–26 season, with future guests rumored to include Serena Williams, Elon Musk, and Tom Brady. But it’s Jordan’s own reflections that set the tone.
Jordan’s legacy is secure: six championships, five MVPs, and a cultural footprint that spans generations. But Insights to Excellence offers something new: vulnerability. It shows us the man behind the myth. The competitor who still aches for the game. The icon who, even in retirement, is chasing excellence.
