MacKinnon returns favor to Jokic, presents NBA MVP with trophy

Same arena, same players, different trophies and just a few weeks apart.

Earlier in the month, Colorado Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon was presented the 2024 Hart Memorial Trophy, awarded to the NHL's Most Valuable Player, by 2024 NBA MVP Nikola Jokic, of the Denver Nuggets.

On Saturday, before the Nuggets hosted the Los Angeles Clippers at Ball Arena, MacKinnon returned the favor by presenting Jokic with an MVP trophy of his own.

MacKinnon walked out onto the court wearing Jokic’s No. 15 Nuggets jersey. He brought the NBA MVP award and placed it on a table at center court.

Jokic – now a three-time NBA MVP – came out to greet MacKinnon again before the two posed for another photo, similar to the one they took when Jokic presented MacKinnon with the Hart Trophy.

Someone might want to play “spot-the-difference” with those two photos, because there aren’t many.