When Charles Barkley opens his mouth, you better believe NBA fans everywhere lean in like it’s Game 7. And when Sir Charles starts talking about Michael Jordan’s surprise jump into broadcasting, you already know it’s going to be equal parts hilarious, honest, and headline-worthy. What’s got Barkley scratching his bald head this time? His Airness, a man who’s dodged more interviews than Ben Simmons has dodged jump shots, suddenly landed a shiny new gig with NBC.

And not just any gig—rumors suggest it might come with a $40 million annual paycheck. Yes, you read that right. Let’s break it all down, Barkley-style. “I don’t really see Michael on television a lot, to be honest with you,” Barkley confessed during a recent interview on The Dan Patrick Show. And look, he’s not wrong. Jordan has made fewer media appearances in the last 20 years than Shaq has made free throws in a playoff series. Dan Patrick asked the logical follow-up: “So why do you think he’s getting involved?”

“I have zero idea,” Barkley replied, as honest as ever. “I think it’s great that he’s going to be part of the NBA in some way. I mean, in my opinion—and I mean no disrespect to Kobe or LeBron—Michael is the greatest player I’ve ever seen.” Now that’s classic Barkley. Never shy about giving MJ his flowers—just maybe a little confused as to why those flowers are now being delivered on TV. “I have no idea why he’s doing it, but it’s a welcome addition. You know, man, this is going to be really interesting moving forward, because there’s just so much money out there right now.” Wait a second now, is Chuck hinting at something?

Now, of course, it’s speculative, but does Charles think Jordan is doing all this for the money? Guess Charles Barkley himself isn’t much sure, as he ends with “I think it’s going to be fascinating to see how this all plays out.” Now, while Jordan earned roughly around 95 million through the NBA in those days. But his overall net worth? That’s off the chart. According to Forbes, Jordan sits on a $3.5 billion net worth combined and falls among the rare categories of athletes who sit in the billionaire club. So doesn’t exactly make much sense for Chuck’s indirect take, right? Well, let’s dig deeper, shall we?

NBC’s $76 Billion NBA Dream… and MJ at the Center

Let’s talk numbers for a second, because this isn’t your average ESPN contract with a parking spot and a polo shirt. NBC is about to relaunch NBA on NBC in the 2025-26 season, part of a massive 11-year, $76 billion deal with the league. That’s so much money, even James Harden might try on defense again. Enter Michael Jordan, who’s reportedly agreed to become a “special contributor” for NBC’s coverage. The reported figure?

A $40 million per year contract. That would leapfrog him past Tom Brady’s deal with Fox Sports—$37.5 million—and make Jordan the highest-paid sports analyst of all time. (Do not snatch Brady’s crown right away, as neither of the two has made the deal numbers official.)

Now, before you start calling him MJ the Millionaire Microphone Man, here’s the twist—he won’t even be a regular on set. According to CNBC, the 62-year-old legend will not be a weekly studio fixture. Instead, Jordan is expected to provide taped segments during the season, dropping his thoughts in pregame or halftime shows. Basically, he’s doing the NBA version of a load-managed broadcast schedule.

And hey, that’s fair. Jordan’s never been a fan of the limelight off the court. The man has ghosted more media gigs than Dwight Howard has ghosted the paint in crunch time. But NBC was the network that covered all six of his Bulls championships in the ’90s. So maybe, just maybe, this gig hits a little different for MJ.

“I am so excited to see the NBA back on NBC,” Jordan said in a promo video. “The NBA on NBC was a meaningful part of my career… I’m looking forward to seeing you all when the NBA on NBC launches this October.” “Man, this is going to be really interesting moving forward,” Barkley said. “These networks have to do everything in their power to engage fans… NBC, Amazon, and ESPN are spending serious money.”

And Charles isn’t exaggerating. Networks aren’t playing around anymore. Well, we’re already fascinated, Charles Barkley. With Jordan back in the game—even if it’s from a studio chair or prerecorded clip—and Barkley doing Barkley things, NBA coverage is about to get a whole lot spicier. Let the battle of the broadcast titans begin.

And don’t worry, we’ll be watching. Probably with popcorn.