Who is on the NBA Logo?
The NBA Logo has not had any changes made to it since it was first designed by Alan Siegel, the founder of the branding firm 'Siegel+Gale', in 1969. At the time, the company was confused about which player or object to take inspiration from for the logo. Eventually, the silhouette of an all-time great Jerry West was the inspiration for the NBA Logo and has become a truly timeless design since its debut in 1971.
Despite seeing it every day, many in the NBA community are clueless about the details of how the iconic image came to life. Here is everything you need to know about the NBA Logo.
The Story behind the NBA Logo and Jerry West
As previously mentioned, the silhouette of Jerry West has been used in the logo of the NBA. But why him?
When he was first assigned to design a logo for the NBA, Alan Siegel went through several sports magazines for inspiration. He flipped past several pictures before he found a picture of Jerry West.
As per Siegel, West's silhouette and pose in that picture was the perfect embodiment of the NBA's dynamism and athleticism. He also felt it managed to convey power, grace, and movement all at once.
One may think it to be a great honor and privilege for a player to be the NBA logo of the best basketball league in the world. But, as time has passed, Jerry West has expressed his disapproval of still being in that position.
West went on to elaborate on his displeasure during an episode of ESPN's "The Jump" in 2017, saying:
"I wish that it had never gotten out that I'm the logo."
"I really do. I've said it more than once, and it was flattering that's me. I know it is me, but it is flattering. ... I played in a time when they first started to try to market the league. There were five people that they were gonna consider. ... I don't like to do anything to call attention to myself," said West.
There have since been several suggestions for a potential change. After the tragic death of Kobe Bryant, who was a LA Lakers' legend and one of the greatest players ever, many felt it would be fitting to make him the new NBA logo.
But, as much as fans wanted it, talks of a potential change died down rather quickly. Nonetheless, the beauty and simplicity of the NBA logo can't be denied and many in the NBA community hope the design stays the same for the foreseeable future.
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