In a story from ESPN’s Kirk Goldsberry, the NBA is renaming five major individual player awards to honor legends of the game.
ESPN story on the NBA's massive trophy redesign project: https://t.co/tWzwmVp0RO
— Kirk Goldsberry (@kirkgoldsberry) December 13, 2022
With the MVP award now being named the Jordan Trophy after six-time NBA champion, five-time NBA MVP, and Space Jam star Michael Jordan, five other major awards are also being changed as followed:
- Hakeem Olajuwon Trophy for Defensive Player of the Year
- Wilt Chamberlain Trophy for Rookie of the Year
- John Havlicek Trophy for Sixth Man of the Year
- George Mikan Trophy for Most Improved Player
- Jerry West Trophy for Clutch Player of the Year (a new award which I’m sure won’t involve any debate whatsoever about what it means to be “clutch” — go create that content, NBA)
As noted in the story, Nikola Jokic will retroactively receive the first Jordan Trophy after winning MVP last season.