Michael Jordan remains the ultimate symbol of the NBA, even more than two decades after leaving the league. “His Airness” retired in 2003, having achieved everything he set out to do. With the Chicago Bulls, he fulfilled every dream he had when he first entered the league.
As he recalled in The Last Dance, Jordan helped transform a franchise once mired in mediocrity, where professionalism was often lacking. His arrival in Chicago changed the team’s culture, pushing everyone to a higher standard of commitment and competitiveness.
Gradually, Jordan established himself as the core of the Bulls, shaping a lineup that would become one of the most dominant dynasties in NBA history. New players came and went, but his relentless drive and leadership were the constants behind the six championships that followed.
Michael Jordan’s $3 billion empire
In 2023, “His Airness” sold the Charlotte Hornets for $3 billion. Although he no longer earns from active competition, since retiring he continues to generate enormous passive income through royalties from his iconic “Air Jordan” sneakers.
He receives 5 percent from every pair sold, and it’s estimated that those royalties bring him around $330 million annually since 2024. For Jordan, money has never been an issue, and certainly isn’t now.
NBC interview with Michael Jordan and Mike Tirico
In an interview set to air on NBC, reporter Mike Tirico approaches Jordan from several personal angles, and what the former Bulls leader reveals is telling.
You never really know when you’re in the prime of your career how much time you really do not have for family.
Tirico says to him.
Jordan responds:
That’s what I have time to do now. The most valuable asset I have is time. So that’s probably why you don’t see enough of me, because that time I’m trying to spend with family members and things that I’ve been missing out on for such a long time.
With that simple but powerful reflection, Jordan underscores that the most precious things in life truly come free. Time, something money cannot buy, is what he now values most after decades of relentless competition and success.
His words reveal a side of Jordan that goes beyond wealth, fame, and records. They reflect maturity and a deep appreciation for the moments that once slipped away during his years of glory. For someone who conquered everything the sport could offer, his greatest victory today lies in something far more human: being present for the people and experiences that give meaning to life.
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