Amid moves by the NBA to make changes to the honors it gives out each season, the league announced that it will rename the Most Valuable Player award after Michael Jordan, Axios reported on Tuesday.
Jordan, who won the MVP award five times, helped design the new trophy, the league said. The award was previously named the Maurice Podoloff Trophy after the league's first commissioner.
"As we worked together on this project, it was very important to Michael that the figure not be a likeness of him, but instead that the recipient should be able to see himself in the award," said Mark Smith, a retired vice president of innovation and special projects at Nike. "For Michael, naming the award in his honor was recognition enough."
However, the trophy does include elements that represent Jordan's illustrious career — a height of 23.6 inches, weight of 23.6 pounds and 23-point basketball to represent his jersey number (23) and number of NBA championships (6); a five-sided base for his MVP awards; a six-sided badge for the number of times his team won the NBA championship; and a 15-degree angle at the base to symbolize the number of years he played in his career, the Chicago Tribune reported.
The NBA also announced other changes to the honors it gives out each season, Axios reported. The Defensive Player of the Year will now receive the Hakeem Olajuwon Trophy, and the Rookie of the Year will be awarded the Wilt Chamberlain Trophy.
In addition, the Sixth Man of the Year will earn the John Havlicek Trophy and the Most Improved Player will get the George Mikan Trophy.
The NBA also announced an entirely new award, the Jerry West Trophy, which will be handed out to the league's Clutch Player of the Year.
"There are few greater thrills as a basketball player than coming through for your teammates and fans when they need it most," West said according to AP. "This new trophy will be awarded to the player who best delivers in those moments."
Brian Freeman ✉
Brian Freeman, a Newsmax writer based in Israel, has more than three decades writing and editing about culture and politics for newspapers, online and television.
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