Michael Jordan Gives Advice to NBA Players Trying to Build Their Brand in Latest NBC Interview

The NBA on NBC crew released the latest installment of its Michael Jordan interview series on Tuesday night.

Titled "MJ: Insights to Excellence," the network has celebrated its return to the NBA stage by releasing segments of the conversation throughout the regular season. In past episodes, Jordan discussed his desire to give back to the game he loves, his thoughts on today's load management trend, and his iconic Flu Game performance.

In Tuesday night's edition, Jordan focused on the business of basketball. The former Chicago Bulls legend turned Jordan Brand into one of the most iconic sneaker and sports apparel companies in the world. However, when speaking about its growth with interviewer Mike Toricio, he provided a key piece of advice to players trying to pave their own path.

“I’m pretty sure I’m part of the reason why everybody tries to get a logo, a brand. But the thing is, that brand established based on what I did on the basketball court. I didn’t put the brand before I put the work. I put the work in, and then the brand evolved based on the work … Whatever I did here is never going to affect what I did on the basketball court," Michael Jordan said on NBC.

While Jordan inked his iconic deal fresh out of college, the gamble for both him and Nike has been well-documented. There is no denying that the two sides did a fantastic job marketing themselves during his rookie campaign and the years to come, but there is also no question that Jordan's play was the fuel to that fire. The guard took the league by storm, winning Rookie of the Year and instantly becoming an All-Star-caliber player.

As far as Jordan is concerned, it's the tireless commitment to improving his game that led to the off-court success.

"As long as you understand that this is always what you’re going to be remembered for. Basketball, and your love of basketball, should always be pure. I’ve always said this, we would play this game for free ... Generationally, I like to think that most of the time people will remember Michael Jordan based on what he did on the basketball court and not always the commercials that he did.”

To be sure, the sheer popularity of the sport and the expansion of social media can allow players to develop their platform like never before. Plenty of players who may not be considered among the league's upper-echelon have built up meaningful brands. However, the main ingredient for success remains the same as when Jordan first laced things up. The better you do on the basketball court, the more people will pay attention.