When MJ stuck his tongue out it was "in the zone", it was his way of saying I can do anything. I'm in it, now I'm fully focused.

That's why we decided to represent him in this guise, how often each of us gestures, even unconsciously, when we're "in the zone", fully focused.

The tongue represents how much we can do on the field and in everyday life if we concentrate as much as possible, just like the GOAT did, so feels like him.