Michael Jordan was steps away from winning his third Most Valuable Player trophy, in a career that ultimately netted him five of those awards. David Stern, then the commissioner of the NBA, had a few simple but profound words to him during the halfcourt ceremony.
“You are simply the standard by which excellence in basketball is measured,” Stern told Jordan that night in 1992.
Now, that statement will seem more true.
The NBA’s Most Valuable Player award has been renamed the Michael Jordan Trophy, the league announced Tuesday. Jordan has been named MVP five times, then has five trophies named Maurice Podoloff, the first commissioner in league history.
After six decades of giving the trophy that name, the NBA decided it was time to rebrand it.
The Jordan Trophy will be 60 centimeters (23.6 inches) tall and weigh 10.7 kilograms (23.6 pounds). The 23 in inches and pounds is a reference to the number Jordan wore. The fraction of 6 symbolizes both of his six NBA titles with the Chicago Bulls.
Instead, the trophy is not a Jordan-inspired image.
The former player and current chairman of the Charlotte Hornets board approved the design, which symbolizes a person in pursuit of excellence. But Jordan didn’t want the award to feature a statue of him.
He also declined a request for comment from the NBA.
“Anyone should be able to see it and think about it,” said Mark Smith, who worked for years as a designer for Jordan Brand and oversaw the making of this trophy. “People need to hear the excellence of Michael Jordan and the way he has followed through on it. It has his name, but it doesn’t show him, it shows everyone. He could be the boat builder, the teacher, the lawyer or the writer who looks at it and says, ‘This is what I’m trying to do.’”
The league has rebranded virtually all of its trophies over the past two seasons and created other honours. As part of Tuesday’s announcement, the NBA revealed it will present the Jerry West Award for Key Player of the Year, which, as with nearly all honors, will be awarded by vote of a media panel. NBA coaches will nominate nominees for this award.
Similarly, Defensive Player of the Year is awarded the Hakeem Olajuwon Trophy; Rookie of the Year wins Wilt Chamberlain Trophy; Sixth Man of the Year wins the John Havlicek Trophy and Most Improved Player of the Year wins the George Mikan Trophy.
“Our new trophy collection celebrates some of the greatest and most impactful players in NBA history,” said league commissioner Adam Silver. “As we recognize the best of each season, we also pay tribute to the legends that symbolize these prestigious awards.”
