The Warriors kicked off the 2022-23 NBA season commemorating their historic 2022 NBA championship season in front of a sold-out crowd inside the Chase Center ahead of their game against the Lakers on opening night.
In the pregame ceremony, Golden State received its 2022 championship rings and unveiled its fourth championship banner since 2015, its seventh in franchise history but the first lifted to the rafters of the Chase Center on Tuesday.
Klay Thompson, who was healthy for an NBA opening night game for the first time in three years, reflected Tuesday on how he and James Wiseman spent many days last summer doing workouts together as part of their rehab process and thinking the rafters could use a championship “banner.”
Last year’s NBA Finals MVP Steph Curry was ecstatic in what he considered an “amazing honor” to receive his fourth ring in front of Golden State fans. The eight-time All-Star also used his platform to spread awareness of Brittney Griner, the WNBA’s Mercury star who has been wrongfully incarcerated in a Russian prison since February, on her 32nd birthday.
“We want to continue to let her name be known and we pray, it’s been 243 days since she has been wrongfully incarcerated in Russia,” Curry said. “We hope that she comes home soon.”
NBA commissioner Adam Silver and Golden State owners Joe Lacob and Peter Guber gave out the championship rings as each player on the Warriors’ team was announced individually. While a vast portion of players from last year’s Warriors team celebrated their first NBA title, Curry along with Thompson, Draymond Green and Andre Iguodala celebrated their fourth championship.
Meanwhile, Kevin Looney earned his third NBA title. Juan Toscano-Anderson, who now plays for the Lakers, also joined his former team in the championship celebration ahead of the game.
The championship ring was designed by Jason of Beverly Hills, who created seven other NBA championship rings in 2009, 2010, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2020 and 2021.
The championship ring features 16 carats of yellow and white diamonds set into yellow gold, representing Golden State’s 16 wins in last season's playoffs. It has seven carats of yellow cushion cut diamonds on its bezel to commemorate the Warriors’ seven NBA titles.
The ring contains 43 baguettes on the Golden Gate bridge logo to represent Curry recording 43 points in Game 4 of the NBA Finals. It also features architectural details of the Chase Center on the side, the game scores of each series within Golden State’s playoff run, seven Larry O'Brien trophies and the Warriors' "Just Us" motto.
With a new season underway, Curry and the Warriors are eyeing NBA title No. 5 and the franchise’s eighth this season.
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