Denver Nuggets receive 2023 NBA championship rings: Complete details

Before taking on the Los Angeles Lakers to tip off the 2023-24 NBA season, the Denver Nuggets had one more moment to celebrate the franchise’s first championship.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver presented the players, coaches and owner Stan Kroenke with enormous rings designed by Jason of Beverly Hills that featured a pullout of the championship banner and blue gems behind the Nuggets' logo on the ring’s face.

When head coach Michael Malone got his ring, Ball Arena once again was rocking with cheers as he gave a short speech thanking fans for their support during his tenure. "You guys have been the best fans in the NBA for eight years... We got one ring. Who wants another?” he asked.

NBA OPENING NIGHT: Highlights, analysis from Lakers-Nuggets, Suns-Warriors

Here's a closer look at the rings the Nuggets received Tuesday night:

The top

The championship ring features the Nuggets' logo embossed in over 16 carats of diamonds, rubies and blue sapphires to represent the team's colors. Sixteen carats is also a nod to the number of playoff wins that Denver collected en route to the franchise's first championship. The Nuggets went 16-4 in the postseason.

This ring also features something that has never been seen on a championship ring before, Jason of Beverly Hills said in a press release. A hidden, retractable compartment slides out of the side of the ring to unveil the Nuggets' 2023 championship banner.

The sides

One side of the ring features "World Champions" above the Nuggets' retro logo, with Denver's 53-29 regular season record below. According to Jason of Beverly Hills, "89 points of red rubies around the perimeter of the ring top honor the 89 points the Nuggets defense held their opponent to in the championship clinching final game."

The Nuggets defeated the Miami Heat 94-89 in Game 5 of the NBA Finals in June.

The other side of the ring features each player's name and number, alongside the team's mantra "Bring It In."

Take a 360-degree look

The details don't stop there.

The Nuggets' championship rings also feature "5280" to represent Denver's altitude above sea level and features a lever at the top of the ring that changes "1967," the year the franchise was founded, to "2023," the year the Nuggets brought home their first title.

The Ring Ceremony

The ceremony started with a recap video of the 2022-23 season while wristbands given to each fan twinkled with yellow and blue lights. The crowd cheered loudly when the announcer mentioned the Nuggets swept the Lakers in the Western Conference Finals en route to the title.

Each player got their ring one by one until Finals MVP Nikola Jokić took the court and the fans erupted. The big man hugged each executive before giving the crowd a wave.

The team then gathered at the end of the court as the championship banner was revealed through a cloud of smoke. The players posed for a photo in front of the banner with their rings before it was slowly hoisted to the rafters as Queen’s “We Are the Champions” filled the air.

The cheers quickly changed to boos as the Lakers came out of the tunnel and the page was officially turned.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Nuggets championship rings: Check out the rings and see the ceremony