Overview
- In an NBC interview, Jordan said players who are physically able should play, calling availability part of their job and an obligation to paying fans.
- He cited his durability and the 1997 Flu Game, when he played while ill and scored 38 points in a Finals win over the Jazz.
- Since 2023-24, the Player Participation Policy sets a 65-game minimum for awards, defines star status, restricts resting in nationally televised and in-season tournament games, and requires visible attendance if a star sits.
- League enforcement has included fines, with the Brooklyn Nets, Atlanta Hawks, and Utah Jazz identified as the first teams penalized under the policy.
- An NBA analysis reported last year found no direct correlation between planned rest and injury prevention, sharpening a generational debate over professionalism, health, and the spectacle of the game.