Adam Silver was surprised Michael Jordan took on-air NBC role

As NBC came to Adam Silver with its plan to recruit Michael Jordan for an on-air role, the NBA commissioner’s response spoke volumes.

“They told me they were going to try and I said ‘good luck,'” Silver told Dan Patrick on Wednesday’s episode of The Dan Patrick Show. “I honestly didn’t think he was going to do it.”

And yet, to Silver’s — and perhaps also NBC’s — surprise, His Airness agreed to become a part of the network’s coverage when it returns to being an NBA rightsholder next season. That’s not to say that the commissioner’s skepticism wasn’t warranted; in fact, there may not be anybody with a better idea of how hard it is to get Jordan to say yes to such opportunities.

“It took us, as you know, decades to convince him to do the documentary, The Last Dance,” Silver said. “He didn’t want to do that for a long time. We had the footage. And I know there were other inquiries over the years. And I think he for whatever reason, he was ready to do it now.”

Silver added that he thinks that Jordan’s connection to NBC, which was one of the league’s primary media partners during his playing days, may have played a role in persuading the 6-time NBA champion. He also noted that Jordan has maintained relationships with longtime NBC executive Jon Miller and Versant CEO Mark Lazarus.

As for what exactly Jordan’s role will be with NBC, Silver said that he believes that’s yet to be finalized. But he did reveal that he’s recently spoken to the 62-year-old, who’s “excited” for his new — and unexpected — opportunity.

“[NBC] told me what their idea was for him in that role and I think that they’re still working through that,” Silver said. “I spoke to Michael about it. I mean, he’s excited about it. I think for him, it means he’s got to stay current with the game. Obviously he’s a [minority] owner still in Charlotte, but he’s so passionate about it.

“We talk about it all the time. He wants the game to be played the right way. He’s still got a huge business around the game with the Jordan Brand, but I think more importantly, he watches a lot of basketball and he knows it’s what defines him still. And so I think fans are gonna enjoy hearing his take on the modern league.”