NBA Brings Larry O'Brien Trophy Back to Center Court

Simultaneously, we witnessed the explosion of LeBron James, the formation of Boston's "Big Three," and Kobe's affirmation of greatness by winning championships without Shaq's help.

However, beyond the epic on-court duels, memories of this era also evoke a striking visual detail. We're talking about the appearance of the court itself during the championship battle, which has since become a symbol of an era.

After years of public insistence and league enthusiasts, Commissioner Adam Silver has decided to reinstate a tradition that was abolished back in 2009. The large image of the championship trophy will once again grace the center of the court during the NBA Finals. This change takes effect starting with the upcoming Finals series between the San Antonio Spurs and the New York Knicks, and will continue in the future. While seemingly a minor aesthetic detail, this decision is clear proof that the league's leadership highly values the voice of its audience, who are largely responsible for the global success of the sport. Commissioner Silver himself admitted to feeling nostalgic for those times and that it's nice to see details that emphasize the Finals as a special and elevated event.

Interestingly, this tradition didn't actually last long. It all began in 2005 in the Finals where the Spurs and Pistons clashed. After only five seasons, this visual identity was retired following the Lakers-Magic series in 2009. Prior to that period, clubs had complete freedom to design the center court themselves. After 2009, experiments with smaller versions of the trophy followed, but these were quickly abandoned.

Later attempts to refresh the design saw Cleveland placing miniature trophies in the corners of the court, while in the specific conditions of the 2020 "bubble," the trophy was visible exclusively in television broadcasts thanks to digital technology.

The trophy awarded to the champion is named after Larry O'Brien, who served as the league's commissioner from 1975 to 1984. His tenure, combined with the arrival of stars like Larry Bird and Magic Johnson, is considered crucial for the modernization and revival of the NBA, which then once again captured global attention.