All it took was a few seconds for fans to question Michael Malone’s loyalty to the Denver Nuggets, his home for 10 years. It was the price he paid during his first stint as analyst for ESPN, just less than a month after Denver’s front office fired the championship head coach.
After Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals, Malone said Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander “showed why he’s MVP,” as he steered his team past the Minnesota Timberwolves with 31 points and nine assists.
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Nuggets fans did not appreciate his comment, saying he has turned his back on his superstar, three-time MVP Nikola Jokic, whom he coached throughout his stint in Denver.
After that moment, Malone immediately learned to accept the nature of his new broadcasting career, bracing himself for the scrutiny he could face with the tiniest slip of the tongue.
“It was really funny. I was so immersed in the Western Conference Finals scout,” he told SiriusXM NBA Radio. “It was kind of my first ‘welcome to the media’ moment. Everything you say and how scrutinized it is.”
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Denver fans were furious
Malone coached the Nuggets from 2015 to 2025. He helped rebuild Denver’s system and create a winning culture. But, arguably, his most important contribution as Denver’s coach was fully unlocking Jokic’s Hall of Fame potential and using that to bring the franchise its first championship in its 47-year history. He has kept the team’s contention hopes alive in the past seven seasons.
Not only that, because of Jokic’s greatness – punctuated by his passing and high IQ – his teammates, most notably Aaron Gordon, Bruce Brown, Christian Braun, and Jamal Murray, learned how to become effective and productive players, highlighting the center’s ability to make his team better.
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So Denver fans’ outrage was understandable and expected. Describing the issue as “hilarious,” the then-oblivious Malone recalled his wife’s reaction after the controversy exploded online.
“I called my wife after the game,” he said. “She said, ‘Oh my gosh, people are up in arms back in Denver.'”
Not about loyalty; just part of the media game
Gilgeous-Alexander was hailed the 2024-2025 MVP after averaging 32.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, 6.4 assists, 1.72 steals and 1.01 blocks and leading OKC to the top of the West with a 68-14 record. He bested Jokic, who averaged a triple-double with 29.6 points, 12.7 rebounds and 10.2 assists per game.
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With the backlash that followed, Malone had to reiterate his stand on the Joker. In May, he said he would back Jokic for MVP if he had a vote. Several months later, his sentiments remained the same.
“If I had a vote,to be very honest, I still would have voted for Nikola Jokic,” he said. “The reason I said what I said because it was already leaked that Shai was going to win the MVP…So I was just stating what everybody else already knew.”
However, fans continued to doubt his loyalty to Denver, saying he switched because the organization fired him. Responding to the accusations, Malone assured everyone that his allegiance to the Mile High City remains solid.
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“People felt since I got fired, I changed my loyalty,” he said. “This has nothing to do with loyalty. I love Nikola. I loved my 10 years in Denver.”
Nothing has changed with Malone. He still supports Denver from afar, even though he’s not on the team anymore. His comments were merely part of the media game.
Malone will continue his broadcasting stint with ESPN during the 2025-2026 season as he joined “NBA Countdown,” the network’s pregame show. The media game continues – and Malone will remain a player.
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This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Sep 28, 2025, where it first appeared in the Off The Court section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.