"I can't get so close to it, too, because of my competitive nature" - Michael Jordan on why he can't get himself to be a fan of any one player in the NBA originally appeared on Basketball Network .
Michael Jordan isn't watching the game with rose-tinted glasses or holding a torch for any single player. The icon who helped shape modern basketball into the global spectacle it is today continues to keep an eye on the league, but not in the way most fans might imagine.
His relationship with the NBA has shifted, not cooled off, but transformed.
From the moment he stepped away from playing for the final time in 2003, Jordan's connection with the game has remained rooted in admiration and respect but not in allegiance to personalities.
The Hall of Famer is a fan of many superstars like LeBron James and the likes of Kobe Bryant , Carmelo Anthony and Allen Iverson when they were still active. But he doesn't get too attached.
"I'm a big fan. I like to watch the basketball," Jordan said . "So I'm still a fan and I can't get so far away from it and I can't get so close to it, too, because of my competitive nature."
His presence has evolved from being the fire on the court to becoming a measured observer with an ownership stake, front-office experience and the mindset of a titan who once dominated it all. While others look for a new "favorite" player to follow, Jordan watches with a different lens, one sharpened by a history that demands no replacements.
Over the past two decades, a parade of superstars has stepped into the spotlight, each one attempting, in some way, to carry the torch Jordan left behind. James entered the league with the weight of "The Chosen One" stitched into his legacy before he played a single professional game.
Already ascending in the late '90s, Bryant mirrored Jordan's intensity, footwork, and tireless mindset. Anthony was captivated by scoring bursts and pure offensive skill, while Iverson electrified crowds with raw energy, unapologetic swagger, and a crossover that became cultural currency. Jordan recognized them all.
That competitive nature is the core of how Jordan approaches life after playing. During his prime, every possession mattered, every matchup was personal, and every championship was a war of attrition.
Getting "too close" to the game now means seeing players through the eyes of a rival, not a spectator. It's why fandom, in the traditional sense, doesn't fit. He doesn't throw his support behind one name or build his evenings around one star's stat line.
When Jordan torched teams for 30.1 points per game across his 15 seasons (the highest career scoring average in NBA history), there was never room for neutrality. Competitiveness swallowed sentiment. That same instinct lingers now. It's why his admiration exists with boundaries.
He has always stayed close to the game even after retiring. In 2010, Jordan became the majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats (now Hornets), marking the first time a former player assumed majority control of an NBA team. That move deepened his relationship with the league and altered it entirely. Ownership became about stewardship, investment, and legacy.
"Right where I am is the right place to be where I own a team," Jordan said. "Obviously I'm involved in a team but I allow them to be and let the game play in this era."
It's a delicate balance — being close enough to influence and far enough not to interfere. That posture comes with maturity and a deep understanding of cycles. Every era has its own rhythm and its own heroes. Jordan's doesn't overlap with this one. The players dominating today grew up idolizing him. But he doesn't try to pull them back into his orbit.
From 2010 to 2023, under his ownership, Charlotte experienced limited on-court success — just three playoff appearances, none advancing past the first round. But Jordan's legacy was never tied to front-office wins. Instead, he focused on presence, visibility and carving a model where former players could transition into business leadership.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jun 15, 2025, where it first appeared.
