"Hope Cigar Lungs is not gonna be grumpy" - LeBron James' friend quips over Michael Jordan's NBA on NBC comeback

On Monday, the NBA announced that Michael Jordan will be involved in the league in the 2025-26 season. In their return to NBC, the former Chicago Bulls star is set to be a special contributor for the network. It will be the return of one of the association's former superstars.

During Jordan's title runs in the 1990s, fans tuned in on NBC to witness his greatness. The network presented all of the former Bulls star's six championships. Since retiring from basketball, this will be the first time Jordan will be involved with a network.

On X (formerly Twitter), the friend of LeBron James, Cuffs The Legend, had something to say about Jordan's news.

"i just hope Cigar Lungs is not gonna be a grumpy old hater like Chuck & Shaq on the broadcast 😂" the X user said.

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The X user refers to former NBA stars who sometimes discredit the talent and greatness of current stars. However, nothing is sure about how Jordan's role with the coverage as a contributor will look.

As it was presented for the first time, Jordan expressed his excitement for the NBA to be back on NBC. The Hall of Famer had a video message and made the announcement.

“I am so excited to see the NBA back on NBC,” Jordan said. “The NBA on NBC was a meaningful part of my career, and I’m excited about being a special contributor to the project. I’m looking forward to seeing you all when the NBA on NBC launches this October.”

NBC Sports President Rick Cordella said that he's "proud" to have Michael Jordan as part of the network's coverage.

In July 2024, the network secured an 11-year media rights deal to bring back the NBA coverage on NBC. This will be the third time for the broadcast network to work with the league.

LeBron James' friend gets honest on Michael Jordan's NBA on NBC return

A lot of fans will experience nostalgia with Michael Jordan's return to the network. James' friend is going to be one of them. On X, Cuffs The Legend brought up how he might feel when he sees Jordan back on NBC.

"i’m gonna legit cry when they have the first NBA on NBC broadcast with Michael Jordan... i’m gonna have childhood flashbacks of rushing home from church to watch the Chicago Bulls game," Cuffs The Legend posted.

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Jordan had his postseason dominance when the league was being broadcast on NBC.

There are a lot of fans who have witnessed Jordan's greatness in the 1990s on the network. They also saw how Michael Jordan first retired and returned to the Bulls to win three more titles.

Additionally, Jordan's retirement in 2002 led to NBC's deal to expire.

About the author

Reign Amurao specializes in basketball at Sportskeeda, bringing 3 years of experience to his role and a Bachelor's Degree in Communication.

A fervent supporter of the Phoenix Suns, Reign was hooked to their electrifying "Seven-Seconds-Or-Less" offense, which epitomizes high-paced and high-intensity basketball. For Reign, Steve Nash is the ultimate floor general, and he believes Boris Diaw could've been the next Magic Johnson if he had a bit more discipline.

From Reign's perspective, Anthony Edwards is a 90s player stuck in modern times, and Gregg Popovich is an ultimate winner with unparalleled success and leadership in the sport.

Reign's expertise lies in NBA history, particularly the significant moments and trends of the 2000s and 2010s. He prioritizes in-depth research using only credible sources to maintain accuracy in his articles, and avoids misleading topics.

Beyond basketball, Reign enjoys gaming with friends and watches comedy shows and films.

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Edited by Victor R. Lopez M.