(Reuters) – The National Basketball Association has renamed the trophy given to its regular season MVP after Michael Jordan, who is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time.
The bronze Michael Jordan Trophy is one of six renamed trophies unveiled by the NBA on Tuesday and features a player breaking out of a rock to reach for a crystal basketball that consists of 23 points, a nod to Jordan’s jersey number.
The trophy’s namesake badge is six-sided, a nod to the six NBA championships Jordan won with the Chicago Bulls while its five-sided base is a nod to the five league Most Valuable Player awards he won during his Hall of Fame career.
The other renamed awards are the Jerry West Trophy for clutch player of the year, the Hakeem Olajuwon Trophy for defensive player of the Year, the Wilt Chamberlain Trophy for rookie of the year, the John Havlicek Trophy for sixth man of the year and the George Mikan Trophy for most improved player.
“Our new collection of trophies celebrates some of the greatest and most impactful players in the history of the NBA,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in a news release.
“As we recognize the league’s top performers each season, we also pay tribute to the legends who embody these prestigious
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awards.”
(Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto; Editing by Christian Radnedge)