Olympic gold medalist Mikaela Shiffrin decided to pay a visit to The Big Apple for the Brooklyn Nets vs. Charlotte Hornets NBA game, and it became the talk of the town.

Besides enjoying the match, the 31-year-old was honored with her very own custom Nets jersey with No.1 on the back. Subsequently, Shriffin posted an X update to express her pleasure at receiving the honor.

She reposted the video of the jersey presentation with a caption, reading, "A @nuggets fan through and through, but was soooo psyched to join the @BrooklynNets tonight—thanks for the warm welcome, and making me feel like family!"

Shiffrin made the most of her time with courtside access to watching the game, as she swapped roles with members of the sports media and took up camerawoman duties.

Shiffrin showed off her skills behind the lens throughout the first quarter of the match, as her snapshots were posted on the Nets' official Instagram account.

Evidently, this is not the first time an athlete has gotten courtside access with a camera in hand to showcase their talents, with the most recent example being none other than the heart of the WNBA, Caitlin Clark.

CC took on the role of a credentialed photographer last Wednesday during a game between the Indiana Pacers and the Los Angeles Lakers, and posted some picture-perfect clicks of her idol, LeBron James, on social media.

The trend continues with former Seahawks star Marshawn Lynch also becoming a credentialed sideline photographer for the NFL.

The 31-year-old has been all over the media following a redemptive performance at the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics. Shiffrin continued her fantastic run in 2026 on Wednesday, taking home a record-tying sixth women’s World Cup skiing title.

Meanwhile, her appearance courtside ushered in a few talking points from the fans.

Fans React to Mikaela Shiffrin's Appearance in Barclays Center

While the Nets went on to lose their home game 86-117, Shiffrin's surprise appearance turned most of the heads towards her.

"Nice outfit," One user commented. Although another user fell on the other end of the spectrum for her outfit choice, "Please somebody, get this girl a stylist."

"She’s technically a Nuggets fan." One fan revealed her close connection with the Denver Nuggets.

"From carving slopes to repping Brooklyn… that’s a crossover I didn’t know I needed." Meanwhile, one user commented on the unexpected collab between the skier and the Nets.

So, while the Nets honored Shiffrin despite being a fan of the Nuggets, do you think the Denver side will also felicitate her soon?

Written by

Joy Bassy

Edited by

Souvik Roy