DENVER — Michael Malone, head coach of the NBA champion Denver Nuggets, is the newest voice to greet travelers on the trains between concourses at Denver International Airport.
> Video above from June 15: Michael Malone speaks during Nuggets' championship celebration
"Welcome to Denver. This is Michael Malone, head coach for your world champions, Denver Nuggets," Malone says in the greeting. "Thanks to all of our fans who helped us bring home the 2023 NBA championship. Enjoy your time in the Mile High City."
The previous voice greeting travelers was Rockies great Vinny Castilla, who was invited in celebration of the team's 30th anniversary.
Malone, who became head coach in 2015, led the Nuggets to their first-ever NBA championship earlier this month. The team defeated the Miami Heat in five games in the NBA Finals to capture the Larry O'Brien trophy.
Malone tried to hold back tears as he spoke after the championship parade.
“And to all the fans who have been in Denver 47 years waiting for this moment, we made it. My eight years – we’ve been building for this step by step, day by day, and we did it," he told 9NEWS.
At the parade, Malone caught fans' shoes that were thrown to him for an autograph. He also got out of the firetruck he was in to walk the parade route and spray fans with champagne.
Denver stadium public address announcer Alan Roach and 9NEWS anchor Kim Christiansen continue to voice DIA's "Train Call," which announces the arrival and departure of airport trains and famously tells passengers to "hold on, please."
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