Celebrities at the NBA Finals is nothing new.
But to see them at a Denver Nuggets game? That’s a little different.
As the Nuggets hosted the Miami Heat in Game 1 at Ball Arena on Thursday night, several sports stars and even a movie star were spotted among the crowd. Here are a few folks that made their way to the biggest basketball game ever played in Denver.
Ken Jeong is here and he says “this is the Nuggets moment.”
He was out in LA at a Nuggets-Lakers WCF game too pic.twitter.com/sZDvP4vJR2
— Jake Shapiro (@Shapalicious) June 1, 2023
We got a message from the one and only @kenjeong 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/ignoZXOGuw
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) June 2, 2023
Pregame here in Denver – Shaq greeting Pat Riley & Alonzo Mourning, his coach and teammate from the 2006 Heat title squad pic.twitter.com/Oq2uf3b84g
— Rachel Nichols (@Rachel__Nichols) June 1, 2023
Charles Barkley and Grant Hill put oxygen masks on to deal with the altitude before Game 1 of the NBA Finals 😭😂
(via @TomerAzarly) pic.twitter.com/ygSS3GCm0R
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) June 1, 2023
Legendary NBA super fan James Goldstein has made his way back to Denver! Almost all the players pay homage when passing by. Newsbreaker Shams Charania looks on. It’s a who’s who at Ball Arena. pic.twitter.com/YPL7MQCxlL
— Zach Bye (@byesline) June 1, 2023
Shaq 🤝 Peyton pic.twitter.com/PhTNeMoH9L
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) June 2, 2023
I got gifted a seat in the 2nd row under the hoop & I’m now sitting next to Shaq & Peyton Manning. Not kidding! 🤣🤣
Don’t ask! pic.twitter.com/UyZpkSNaCA
— Zach Bye (@byesline) June 2, 2023
Russell Wilson is in the house ! pic.twitter.com/O0gV2UiXoX
— Nuggets France (@NuggetsFra) June 2, 2023
Broncos coach Sean Payton, sitting 4 seats down from me, comes to say hello to 18 🤝 pic.twitter.com/wDRYmQejvv
— Zach Bye (@byesline) June 2, 2023
It’s awesome to see the sports world focused on the Mile High City. Local celebrities showed up for an awesome Game 5 against the Suns in Round 2, but this is now beyond that scope.
With the series shifting back to Miami next week, that should draw a crowd of famous people as well. It is South Beach, after all.
But we’re no longer just some dusty cow town nestled in the Rocky Mountains. Denver’s arrived on the NBA map — and the Nuggets feel like they’re here to stay.
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