Besides basketball returning to save us from the couple months of NBA-less despair we face every summer following the NBA Finals, arguably the best part of every opening night is the championship ring ceremony.
As is customary for every NBA champion, the 2021 NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks were presented with their championship rings last night, ahead of their matchup with the Brooklyn Nets. Before the game, the Bucks held a ceremony at center court to raise their championship banner into the rafters and receive a little bling for their efforts.
However, unlike most championship rings across all major sports, the Bucks went high-tech with their rings. By scanning a QR code engraved in the ring, players can watch a highlight reel of their championship season. And with an extra, diamond encrusted loop included on the ring, players can easily wear the ring as a pendant.
Jason of Beverly Hills, the jeweler responsible for Milwaukee's championship rings, said he wanted to create an impressive, but practical, piece to celebrate the monumental occasion.
"A lot of players were not able to wear their rings; they weren't practical. You might take it out on Christmas Eve to show the family, but other than that, they can't wear it. I wanted to create a ring that had more versatility, where a player could wear it and let it be comfortable. This one is just as big as these massive rings, but we developed a technology that allows the ring top to be taken off with a push button system, and the ring top can be converted into a pendant," the jeweler told reporters.
And according to the Journal Sentinel, each precious stone included within the ring carries its own, special meaning.
"The 360 diamonds on the ring's top represent the number of victories since the current ownership group took over. The 16 emerald-shaped diamonds on one side represent the number of playoff wins, while the 16 on the other side to represent the franchise's total of division titles. The 4.14 karat of emeralds represent the 414 area code of Milwaukee. The 50 round stones on the "inner bezel" represent 50 years since the team's last championship (no, not the number of points Giannis scored in the clincher or the number of Chick-fil-A chicken minis he famously ordered the next morning, but nobody gets karats with Chick-fil-A anyway). Part of the ring's design along the sides is meant to mimic the portion of Fiserv Forum facing the plaza that became the initial home base of the "Deer District." Two trophies on the inside shank represent the franchise's two titles. The Larry O'Brien Trophy on the face of the ring includes yellow gold at 65.3% purity — mirroring the season's winning percentage (including playoffs). The approximate three karats of stone on the shank represent the franchise's three conference crowns. The approximate 0.53 karats on the "World Champions" wording on the ring represents the total number of years the Bucks have been in existence."
Check out the Milwaukee Bucks' new championship rings below and let us know what you think in the comments.
[Via]