Despite the early season struggles for the Denver Nuggets, it’s hard to ignore what a special time this is for the franchise. Nikola Jokic is in the midst of a run for the ages, doing things that very few players have ever done in the NBA.
Jokic has won three of the last four league MVP awards and the one year he didn’t win, he placed second and had to settle for an eventual Finals MVP. The list of his accolades and accomplishments is a long one, and the Joker is still just 29 years old and clearly the best player in the league.
He has a chance over the next few years to ascend to some rarified air. His legacy and place in history are already cemented, but he could see himself climbing into conversations about the best big man to ever play the game and the top 5-10 players of all time.
One of the cool subplots to the story of Jokic’s greatness is his contemporary, Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche. Much like Jokic, MacKinnon is 29 years old, he’s won a title in Denver, and he took home his league’s most recent MVP award.
The Avalanche started their NHL season a couple of weeks ago and Jokic was on hand for the team’s home opener. He was a surprise guest at the game and honored MacKinnon by presenting him with the Hart Trophy as the league’s MVP for the 2023-24 season.
MacKinnon presents Jokic with MVP trophy
It was a cool ceremony to see and both players genuinely seemed to enjoy it. So, it should have come as no surprise that MacKinnon returned the favor and showed up to the Nuggets opener to present Jokic with his own MVP trophy for the 2023-24 NBA season.
Nathan MacKinnon returned the favor and brought Jokic his MVP Trophy 🙌 pic.twitter.com/OsXijWvUvr
— DNVR Nuggets (@DNVR_Nuggets) October 26, 2024
The ceremony and its luster didn't last for long as the Nuggets came out flat and lost in disappointing fashion. But it’s pretty incredible that one city holds the current MVPs of the NBA and NHL simultaneously.
This is an extremely rare occurrence and not one that should be taken for granted. Denver fans, especially those of both teams, should soak in this time with two of the best players of their generation in their respective sports.
At the same time, the rarity should be a reminder that this is a massive opportunity. The Nuggets and Avalanche need to make sure they set up their superstars with the appropriate surrounding talent to compete for championships and maximize their title windows.