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SPORTS Wednesday 14 december 2022
EXPLAINER: Inside the NBA’s process on changing trophies

By TIM REYNOLDS Jordan even though he Mikan (most improved). A
AP Basketball Writer owns the Charlotte Hor- new trophy this year is the
There’s been an evolution nets. Jordan rarely enters Clutch Player of the Year,
of the NBA’s Most Valu- the spotlight anymore and named for “Mr. Clutch”
able Player trophy in the 70 picks his spots very careful- himself, Jerry West.
or so years since it was first ly; he did not want this tro- “There are few greater thrills
dreamed up. phy to be in his likeness, did as a basketball player than
It used to be called the not speak out about Tues- coming through for your
President’s Trophy. Play- day’s announcement and teammates and fans when
ers used to do the voting. rarely offers public com- they need it most,” West
In time, it all changed; the ment on any topic. said. “This new trophy will
trophy was known as the The MVP trophy tends to be awarded to the player
Maurice Podoloff Trophy, be presented by the com- who best delivers in those
and a media panel of 100 missioner; it wouldn’t seem moments.”
writers and broadcasters likely that Jordan would be Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has
now handles the voting. called upon to do so, even the league’s social justice
As of Tuesday, there’s a though there is no rule tam- champion trophy bearing

new trophy and a new pering-related or otherwise his name, David Robinson
name The Michael Jordan that would prevent it. the NBA Community Assist
Trophy. It’s loaded with trib- The NBA asked Bill Russell to Monthly Award one, and
utes to his career, foremost present the NBA Finals MVP Bob Lanier has the Com-
among them that it weighs trophy that bears his name munity Assist season-long
23.6 pounds and stands and he did for many years, trophy.
23.6 inches tall; the 23 for until the pandemic and his WHO CHANGES THE
his jersey, the 6 for his six health prevented him from NAMES?
championships. continuing that tradition. This wasn’t one or two peo-
That took some serious In this photo provided by Andrew Kenney/NBA, The Michael Russell died earlier this year. ple. The league formed a
work on the design end, Jordan Trophy is displayed in Los Angeles, Dec. 7, 2022. The HOW MANY NAMED TRO- group of about 20 people,
but in the end, it was ex- NBA unveiled the new trophy on Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2022, which PHIES DOES THE NBA HAVE? from at least a half-dozen
actly what Jordan and his will be given to the basketball league’s Most Valuable Player It’s a lot. There’s the Larry different departments, to
team wanted. It is the big- starting with this season. O’Brien (NBA champions), meet and decide how to
gest move in a long line of Associated Press the Jordan (MVP), the Rus- change the trophies and in
trophy tweaks and twists by league’s Black players from pioneers of the game sell (NBA Finals MVP), Red some cases the namesake

the NBA in recent years. A a generation or two ago, Nat “Sweetwater” Clifton, Auerbach (coach of the elements.
look: whose stories may not nec- Wayne Embry, Earl Lloyd, year), Joe Dumars (sports- The process took several
WHY IS THE NBA RENAMING essarily resonate among Willis Reed, Sam Jones and manship), Larry Bird and months, the league said.
TROPHIES? younger fans of today. Chuck Cooper. Magic Johnson (confer- WHAT NEXT?
Commissioner Adam Silver Rebranding and redesign- “I know that what we do ence finals MVP’s), Kobe It doesn’t seem right that
has made clear, especial- ing is not an easy process, in this league is important Bryant (All-Star MVP), and David Stern the league’s
ly after the league went particularly in a league symbolically, not just for the six divisional trophies. commissioner for 30 years,
into the 2020 season re- that considers itself to be sports but for other indus- There’s also a slew of new Silver’s predecessor and
start bubble at Walt Disney steeped with tradition. tries, and people watch us or rebranded ones an- mentor and one of the
World because of the pan- It was not a coincidence all around the world,” Silver nounced Tuesday Hakeem people who basically
demic, that the NBA needs that the six new division said at last season’s NBA Olajuwon (defensive player helped saved the league
to do even more to pay championship trophies Finals. IS THIS A CONFLICT of the year), John Havlicek from financial peril in the
tribute to its greatest play- introduced late last sea- FOR JORDAN? (sixth man), Wilt Chamber- 1980’s doesn’t have a tro-
ers particularly some of the son were named for Black No, this is not a conflict for lain (rookie), and George phy bearing his name. q

Messi, Argentina beat Croatia 3-0 to reach World Cup final

By STEVE DOUGLAS lost the other one to Ger- He even had a penalty
AP Sports Writer many in 2014 in what might saved in the game in which
LUSAIL, Qatar (AP) — Lionel be his last appearance at he didn’t score.
Messi is back in the World the tournament. Croatia failed in its bid to
Cup final with Argentina on It could yet be the perfect reach a second straight
his mission to win soccer’s way to go out for a player World Cup final after con-
biggest prize for the first widely regarded as one of ceding two goals in a five-
time. And, at 35, he could the game’s best players, if minute span from the 34th,
hardly be playing any bet- not the best. just when the team was
ter. Messi converted a pen- Messi is thrilling his legion of looking comfortable at Lu-
alty and had a hand in the fans along the way, with his sail Stadium.
other two goals by Julián swivel and driving run to set There was a moment mid-
Álvarez, leading Argentina up the third goal for Álva- way through the first half
to a 3-0 win over Croatia rez in the 69th minute epito- that must have struck fear
on Tuesday that set up a mizing his confidence and into all Argentines, when
meeting with either France swagger. He is embracing Messi appeared clutch his Argentina’s Lionel Messi scores the opening goal from the
or Morocco in Sunday’s ti- the responsibility of leading left hamstring and rub it. penalty spot during the World Cup semifinal soccer match
tle match. Argentina to its third World Was Argentina’s superstar between Argentina and Croatia at the Lusail Stadium in Lusail,
It will be Messi’s second Cup title, scoring in five of going to have to come off? Qatar, Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2022.
World Cup final Argentina his six games in Qatar. No such luck for Croatia.q Associated Press