All reigns must end someday. Unfortunately, so will LeBron James’. It might not be today, but you can see the drop off in performances from the 40-year-old. He did confirm that he’ll be playing his unprecedented 23rd season next year. So we don’t need to think about it, for now. But the mind does wonder – what are the King’s retirement plans? He’s already a billionaire based off his other ventures and what not. For former teammate Richard Jefferson, those plans might not be as money motivated as some of the other legends like Michael Jordan.
With the NBA Finals right around the block, players of the other 28 teams seem to have kicked on their off-season plans in full form. We’ve seen Stephen Curry and Draymond Green choose to go on little getaways with the family. And sure – LeBron might be doing that as well. But he’s prone to not leave his fans high and dry. This off-season, that comes in the form of the return of his Mind The Game podcast, with Steve Nash in the fray.
Just give any of the episodes a listen. It sounds like the King was born to rule this kingdom too. Their promise of “getting back the game we love by dissecting the X’s and O’s, highlighting the work that goes into the NBA and celebrating the beautiful game of basketball” is more than kept. Seeing that, SI’s Jimmy Traina asked his former Cavs teammate Jefferson on the possibilities of this being Bron’s future post-retirement. And his answer will fascinate you.
Mar 26, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) reacts in the second half against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
“Right now, I think Bron is more of a media person. I would consider him like a Magic Johnson type. I think he’s gonna have his hands in everything… So I can’t speak for him to say what he would do, but I do know Bron works hard. He’s one of those guys that doesn’t stop working. And so all of that transfer of energy that he spends right now in his career – it will get transferred somewhere. I know he believes he wants to own a team… But if he’s not owning a team, I can see his content rise. Well, I’m sure ESPN and Amazon and NBC will offer him God knows how much money when he when he does hang it up,” said Jefferson on the podcast.
To be fair, LeBron James has enough money to have a good stake in an NBA team. But well – that’s one of the firsts that won’t be checked off by him. In fact, his “fan rival” for the GOAT debate, Michael Jordan, was the first former NBA player to own a majority stake in a team (Hornets). There’s a bit of irony to that situation though. If Bron commits to owning an Association team, he’ll be following Jordan’s footsteps. But Jordan’s latest NBC deal speaks of the opposite.
Michael Jordan’s $40 million NBC deal seems like something LeBron James would do post-retirement
Does Jordan really need more money in the bank? It doesn’t really hurt, to be fair. But in today’s world, he might have more of a name in the business world than basketball. He already has a net worth of $4.5 billion. The NBA will return to NBC for the 2025-26 season as part of an 11-year, $76 billion broadcast deal. And after His Airness joined the fray, his deal for the gig is mouth-watering…to say the least.
If the $40 million deal rings true, it’d make MJ the highest paid sports analyst of all time, bar none. It speaks volumes when you’re the creme de la creme of the NBA player history and the NBA analyst history too. But the details of the deal might not be something the fans wanna hear. Apparently, the 62-year-old Bulls legend is “unlikely” to be a regular on the show. He’ll reportedly “appear in taped segments during the season to provide analysis that will air during pregame shows or halftime shows.” Yikes.
But he’s still excited. It’s not often that we see Jordan on the telly. “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,” said MJ.
Unknown Date; Orlando, FL, USA; FILE PHOTO; Chicago Bulls guard (23) Michael Jordan during a game against the Orlando Magic at the Orlando Arena during the 1990-91 season. Mandatory Credit: Photo By USA TODAY Sports (c) Copyright 1991 USA TODAY Sports
It’s quite refreshing to see the GOATs of the sport not disappear into the abyss post-retirement. This is their way of staying connected to the ball that’s been their passion since coming out of the womb. While LeBron James has his podcast, Michael Jordan has the NBC. Exciting stuff!
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