The NBA champion Denver Nuggets had a wild time at their victory parade on Thursday, and a lot of the wildness emanated from an unusual place: head coach Michael Malone.
Normally, head coaches are level-headed and make sure their players don’t get too cocky in victory or too low in defeat. However, Malone was clearly flaunting his swag in victory.
He dropped some curse words at the parade while expressing his desire for a repeat championship next year, and he was introduced there as the “Lakers’ daddy.”
The day before, the coach mocked LeBron James’ suggestion that he may retire during an appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show.”
Malone has been salty ever since the start of the Western Conference Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers. In his mind, the national media has been focusing mostly on James and the Lakers rather than giving his team the credit he feels it deserves.
James was recently in France to wave the flag at the start of Le Mans, the iconic auto racing event. He found the time to take to social media for what some feel was a subtle shot at Malone (h/t Lakers Daily).
Did LeBron just cook Michael Malone on Instagram pic.twitter.com/Iv0CD5x2y2
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) June 16, 2023
There is still no word on whether James will return for his 21st NBA season, but just about everyone expects him back in a Lakers uniform this fall.