The Denver Nuggets and the Miami Heat will kick off the highly anticipated NBA Finals this Thursday, featuring a matchup between stars like Serbian Nikola Jokic and American Jimmy Butler, promising to bring excitement to the courts.

Although the rivalry between the two major cities in the states of Colorado and Florida is not necessarily a long-standing one in the NBA, it is a fact that a story between Denver and Miami sports franchises began to unfold in the 1980s, grabbing headlines across the United States and beyond. To recount that story, we have to go back to the 1983 NFL Draft.

John Elway's story in the 1983 Draft

According to most experts, the two most talented quarterbacks for that college recruitment were John Elway from Stanford and Dan Marino from Pittsburgh. However, the first overall pick belonged to the Baltimore Colts, not the Denver Broncos or the Miami Dolphins.

The former team of the legendary Johnny Unitas, who had been in the shadows for years, saw Elway as the man who would bring them back to great heights and selected him. However, the California kid refused to sign with that franchise, even threatening to abandon his NFL dream and become a pitcher for the New York Yankees if he wasn't traded to another team.

Elway's demands were heard, and he was traded to the Denver Broncos in one of the events that is remembered for changing the history of the NFL forever. The Colts would later relocate to Indianapolis, while the Broncos acquired the player who is still recognized as the most important in the history of their franchise.

Dan Marino's story in the 1983 Draft

In Marino's case, although there was no trade involved, rumors of substance abuse and a perceived lack of discipline led to the talented player being overlooked even by the Pittsburgh Steelers, who needed a successor to Terry Bradshaw and had him in their own city, but let him slip away.

Before Marino, in that 1983 Draft, five quarterbacks were chosen (Elway by Baltimore, Todd Blackledge by the Kansas City Chiefs, Jim Kelly by the Buffalo Bills, Tony Eason by the New England Patriots, and Ken O'Brien by the New York Jets). "Dan The Man" was finally drafted by the Miami Dolphins with the 27th pick.

In what is historically known as the "Original Quarterback Draft," Elway and Marino solidified themselves as the two greatest legends in the history of their respective franchises, creating a rivalry that marked the AFC for over a decade.

What do Elway and Marino have in common with Jokic and Butler?

When Elway arrived at the Broncos, just like when Jokic joined the Nuggets, the Denver franchise they represented had never lifted the championship trophy in their respective leagues. Therefore, the famous "Joker" has the opportunity to equal the achievement of the legendary QB #7 and become the franchise player who finally brings a basketball title to the "Mile High City."

On the other hand, Butler wants to avoid retiring like Marino, without being able to add at least one trophy to his franchise. Before Jimmy Buckets, the Heat already had three Larry O'Brien Trophies, while before Dan The Man, the Dolphins already had the same two Vince Lombardi Trophies that they still count to this day.