NBA championships are not easy, but the reward prizes for the last team standing are outstanding. Besides having all the bragging rights, the players receive some exquisite, shiny, jaw-dropping rings. The winning team gets to design their own rings, and they only get more and more creative (and expensive) every year. With their rings, players get to show the world what they worked so hard for.
When do NBA players get their ring? Ever since the first NBA finals in 1947, the tradition has been to hand out championship rings to the champions on the first home game of the new season. Before the start of the game, players line up on the court in front of their fans and opponents while they are given their individual rings. There is a short celebration, then the title defense ensues.
Does every player on the team get an NBA championship ring?
Although there is no exact ruling on which players get a championship ring, the unwritten rule is that any player that played on the championship team during the season at any given point, even if they weren’t on the team to end the season (e.g. got traded), they receive one as well. They may not be at the ring ceremony, but are either invited to the team facilities or get their rings delivered wherever they may be.
One major example of this was in 2016 with Anderson Varejao who played with the Cleveland Cavaliers. After playing 30 games for the Cavs, he was traded, ending up on the Warriors. Both teams met in the Finals, meaning Varejao was due a Championship Ring no matter what the outcome. The Cavaliers won in 7 games Varejao was offered a championship ring.
When do players who are no longer with the team get their rings?
Some players end up changing teams or retire from the NBA after they win a championship. So depending on when they are available, they can receive their rings at the same time as the rest of the roster. They are invited to the ring ceremony on the first game of the season. Players who have joined other teams can also have their own mini-ceremony when they visit the reigning champions for an away game. If timings and arrangements seem inconvenient, rings can always be personally delivered to the players.
An interesting example of a player receiving their championship ring well after the ring ceremony is Danny Green, who was a member of the 2019-2019 NBA Champion Toronto Raptors squad. He changed teams in the offseason (to the Lakers, who ironically won the championship the year after the Raptors did). Green wanted to have a ceremony in front of the Raptors fans, but because of COVID and injuries, he didn’t get a chance until nearly 3 years later. On April 8th, 2022, now as a member of the Philadelphia 76ers, Green finally got his ring in a pre-game ceremony in front of the Raptors crowd.
What are NBA championship rings made of?
Oftentimes, team officials suggest designs for their NBA championship rings using gold, diamonds, and expensive stones like sapphire and others. Rings usually contain different elements such as names of the players, jersey numbers, the year the championship was won, any special feature/quote/symbol of the teams choosing, and anything they would like to add.
Over the past 10 years, Jason Arasheban of Jason of Beverly Hills has been hired by NBA and other professional sports teams to design and make their championship rings of the highest quality.
Do NBA players pay for their championship rings?
No, NBA players do not pay for their championship rings, but rather, they are paid for by the winning team. The rings are not awarded to players by the NBA, unlike other awards and trophies, so the league is not financially responsible for them either. Once a ring has been gifted to a player, it is theirs to keep, and they can do with it as they like.
How much does an NBA ring cost?
The value of NBA championship rings varies, depending on the type of jewels and precious materials used and the amount of it. As rings have become more luxurious, the value has become even higher. The estimated costs of an NBA ring range between $10,000 to $20,000 dollars, although newer rings may have exceeded that value. Because of the history around the rings, players who choose to sell their championship rings can bring in amounts well over the original value of the rings.
What was the most recently designed NBA championship ring?
The most recently designed championship was of course for the most recent NBA champions, the Milwaukee Bucks, winners of the 2022 NBA Finals. The rings have already been designed and created, and will be presented when the Bucks open up the 2022-2023 NBA season.
The Bucks rings are very intricate and luxurious, and made up of mostly diamonds with pieces of gold. Beyond the painstaking work to create the ring, it is also full of great details that pay tribute to the franchise’s history, the season, and the city of Milwaukee. For example, it has 360 diamonds to signify the number of wins ever since the current ownership took over, and the total weight of the emeralds (414 carats) is a nod to the 414 area code for the city of Milwaukee. Because of how big the rings are, they can even turn into a pendant!
Which player has the most NBA championship rings?
The player with the most NBA championship rings is Bill Russell, who had a whopping 11 rings: Russell had more championship rings than fingers!
Having an NBA ring has to be one of the biggest flexes as an NBA player. Not only is it an extremely cool, unique, and expensive piece of jewelry, but it represents the player who has reached the top of the NBA. It’s no wonder that those players who were fortunate to get at least one ring never live it down!