Basketball legend Michael Jordan spoke out against the NBA’s growing trend of load management during an appearance on NBC’s Insights to Excellence. Jordan emphasized that missing games without a true injury goes against the responsibilities of a professional athlete.
“When guys are coming to watch me play, I don’t want to miss that opportunity,” Jordan said. “Physically, if I can do it, I can’t just sit out because I feel like it. That’s a whole different lens.”
Jordan recounted early moments in his career where he pushed through injuries, including a twisted ankle, to prove his commitment to his teammates and fans. “I taped it up and I went back out and I played,” he said. “I always felt the necessary need that I could never leave my comrades out if I could perform.”
He also reflected on the importance of playing through pivotal games. “Everybody says the game in Utah, game five, was pivotal. I was going to find a way to get out there even if I was a decoy. Once I got out there, all those things catapulted me to gut it out.”
Jordan criticized load management as unnecessary when players maintain proper training and preparation. “You play basketball two and a half to three hours a day. That’s your job. What are you doing the other 21 hours? That’s when you should be preparing for your next challenge,” he explained.
He added that consistent participation keeps both personal rhythm and team chemistry intact. “It can disrupt that synergy that’s happening,” Jordan said. “I always felt a sense of pride for the fans paying to watch, and I wanted our rhythm as a team to always be there.”
