Hundreds of thousands celebrate Nuggets with Denver parade and rally
Hundreds of thousands of adoring Denver Nuggets fans descended into downtown Denver Thursday morning for a parade down 17th Street and a rally at Civic Center Park.
People started arriving at the park before 6 a.m., and were thronging around Union Station and lining the parade route shortly after that.
Organizers moved the parade start, scheduled for 10 a.m., from Union Station to Ball Arena, because so many fans flocked to the Market Street corridor between the two.
At Union Station, fans stood eight-deep straining to get a glimpse of the players as they rolled by. They stood on benches, restaurant patio chairs and even an abandoned cleaning trailer just to catch a sliver of Nugget’s mascot Rocky’s snout.
Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon chugs a beer during the Denver Nuggets 2023 Champions Parade and Rally on Thursday, June 15, 2023, in Denver. (Timothy Hurst/Denver Gazette)
Nugget Aaron Gordon puffed on a cigar and pumped his fist as thousands of people chanted “A.G.! A.G.!”
Several city vehicles behind him, Nikola Jokic, his young daughter on his lap and wife at his side, waved in typical no-fuss fashion shielding his family from Jamal Murray’s champagne spray.
Murray and Jokic and their trophies rode the rest of the way of the parade route aboard an Arapahoe County Sheriff’s “Bearcat” armored vehicle, flanked by Owner Stan Kroenke.
“This digs deep,” said Bob Keith, who attended the first slam dunk contest in the NBA and went to Rockets games (Nuggets, before they were called Nuggets) with his father Walt Keith.
It was the first championship parade Keith had attended.
Fans overrun security to get up close to the firetruck carrying Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray center Nikola Jokic during the Denver Nuggets 2023 Champions Parade and Rally on Thursday, June 15, 2023, in Denver. (Timothy Hurst/Denver Gazette)
In a heartwarming gesture, Nuggets Coach Michael Malone climbed down from the firetruck he was on to mingle with the fans, who responded with glee. He danced, hugged fans and delivered “high-fives” left and right.
Many players walked the parade route shirtless, reveling in the fans adoration and shaking hands, including DeAndre Jordan, Jeff Green and Bruce Brown. Michael Porter Jr. also walked along the crush of fans pushing against the barricades.
Other players, like Aaron Gordon, kept on the fire trucks. At one point, he popped two beers open and poured them in his mouth and down his chest.
Denver Nuggets guard Christian Braun popped out at the dais at the Denver City and County Building to making a brief appearance before the official program’s start as the team began arriving after traveling through downtown on Denver Fire Department trucks and engines amid thousands of fans lining the route.
Since it was their first championship, it was obvious the players were not jaded and thoroughly immersed in the parade and enjoying themselves.
Trent Vialpando waves his newly-acquired championship flag during the Denver Nuggets 2023 Champions Parade and Rally on Thursday, June 15, 2023, in Denver. (Timothy Hurst/Denver Gazette)
They were greeted with cheers of “let’s go Nuggets” and “MVP” as the truck carrying Jokic arrived.
There were at least 20 fire trucks that didn’t carry players, elongating the parade.
Businesses along the parade route enjoyed brisk business, especially restaurants like the STK Steakhouse, which opened early Thursday and said they stayed open until 2 a.m. after Monday night’s victory over the Miami Heat.
At the rally, some fans halfway back reported audio issues as they could barely hear the speeches and were forced to follow along reading captions — but it didn’t seem to dampen enthusiasm.
Once the parade went by, people dispersed either to follow the parade to Civic Center Park or to go home.
“We got up at 6 a.m. to get a good spot. We’ve seen enough,” said Logan Vargas.
His son, Logan Jr., had one of those oversized replica gold chains around his neck.
How much did it cost? “Too much,” said Vargas.
Denver Gazette senior arts journalist John Moore and digital producer Joe Mahoney contributed to this report.
The firetruck carrying the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy makes its way past the Colorado State Capitol building during the Denver Nuggets 2023 Champions Parade and Rally on Thursday, June 15, 2023, in Denver. (Timothy Hurst/Denver Gazette)
Fans look on from lampposts during the Denver Nuggets 2023 Champions Rally on Thursday, June 15, 2023, in Denver. (Timothy Hurst/Denver Gazette)
Fans line the street during the Denver Nuggets 2023 Champions Parade and Rally on Thursday, June 15, 2023, in Denver. (Timothy Hurst/Denver Gazette)