Ares Makes the Rounds: Jokić's Horse Appears at Kia NBA MVP Ceremony

Nikola Jokić's horse Ares made a notable appearance at the Kia NBA MVP ceremony, marking what observers described as a familiar scene for the automaker's award presentation. The development, reported via social media on 18 May 2026, drew attention from fans and league watchers tracking the ongoing tradition surrounding the Denver Nuggets center's most recent MVP recognition.

The appearance marked what some noted as a second consecutive ceremony featuring the horse named Ares, a detail that has become one of the more distinctive traditions associated with the serial MVP winner. Kia, the automotive sponsor of the award, has played host to Jokić at multiple ceremonies as the Serbian center accumulated honors over recent seasons.

Jokić secured his third NBA MVP award in 2024, joining an elite group of players to win the honor multiple times. The Kia sponsorship arrangement places the award presentation within a broader commercial framework that has included on-court ceremonies and league-recognized events throughout the regular season.

League sources indicate that the relationship between the award sponsor and the player has generated notable public interest, with the horse's presence becoming a recurring talking point among those following the NBA's award circuits. The tradition has drawn commentary across sports media regarding the unusual pairing of a premier individual accolade with a distinctive personal element tied to the winner's life outside basketball.

What the sources do not clarify is whether the Ares appearances are a formal arrangement between the sponsor and Jokić's camp, or a more informal presence that has emerged organically through the player's known attachment to the horse. The commercial dimensions of Kia's NBA partnership, which extends beyond the MVP award to broader league sponsorship arrangements, provide context but not specifics about these ceremonial details.

The broader pattern, however, is clear: Jokić has accumulated three MVP awards in five seasons, with Kia ceremonies bookending at least two of those moments. Ares's presence—if the reports hold across both occasions—adds a personal texture to an award that typically foregrounds statistical dominance and team success. Whether it becomes a permanent fixture of the Kia presentation remains to be seen as the league moves into its next award cycle.

Desk note: The wire offered minimal sourcing on this story—a single Telegram post referencing Ares and the Kia ceremony. This publication treated the claim with appropriate caution, noting the limits of what could be verified while pursuing the straightforward sports narrative. Wire coverage of NBA award ceremonies often relies on league-sanctioned media events; here, the informal social-media angle shaped what could be reported rather than any suppression of official channels.

Wire provenance

This editorial synthesis draws on the following public wire/social posts:

• https://t.me/NBALive/4821