The NBA has revealed new designs for its end-of-season trophies. As you can see above, most of them are variations on the same theme. Here they are, one at a time:
The Joe Dumars Sportsmanship Trophy
As explained by the league:
The Joe Dumars Trophy is named after the former Detroit Pistons great and Hall of Famer who won the inaugural NBA Sportsmanship award in 1995-96. The trophy features two players shaking hands in respect of each other and is awarded to the player who best represents the ideals of sportsmanship on the court.
———
The Twyman-Stokes “Teammate of the Year” Trophy
Per the league:
The Twyman-Stokes Trophy honors [Cincinnati Royals forward Jack] Twyman, who supported teammate Maurice Stokes after he was injured in a game and later came down with encephalopathy. It is awarded to the NBA Teammate of the Year and the trophy features Twyman with his arm around Stokes, guiding him and supporting him.
———
The Red Auerbach “Coach of the Year” Trophy
The league says:
The Red Auerbach Trophy is named after the legendary Boston Celtics coach and is awarded to the NBA Coach of the Year winner. The trophy features the famous Lloyd Lillie sculpture of Auerbach on the bench with game plan in one hand and cigar in the other.
———
The NBA Executive of the Year Award
Fill us in, NBA:
The NBA Executive of the Year Award is awarded to the top front office executive. The iconic five-sided pyramid symbolizes five players on the floor, united and point[ing] towards the apex under the direction of the executive.
———
The Maurice Podoloff Trophy
The league says:
The Maurice Podoloff Trophy is a new award that is named after the first commissioner of the NBA. It is awarded to the team with the best record in the league after 82 games. The trophy features a crystal ball cut into 82 panels, sitting on a pedestal that combines the structures of the Eastern Conference posts and Western conference rings.
———
The trophies, which are 15 inches high, were designed by Victor Solomon, the same artist who recently redesigned the O’Brien Trophy and has also done lots of other NBA-themed projects.
Did the NBA ever have an award for best record? And, will it be bad luck to touch the trophy like the NHL.
I think this award is new. The Podoloff
Ugh… I hate replying on my phone LOL. The Podoloff trophy used to go to the League MVP I believe. Not sure what’s behind the switch or if the MVP award is named for someone? A Bill Russell trophy for that seems perfect
No idea why they switched the name but it seems like the MVP award is unnamed now.
The Finals MVP Award has been named after Russell since 2009.
You’re thinking of the conference championship trophies (Prince of Wales Trophy for the East and Clarence Campbell Bowl for the West). I don’t know if I’ve ever even seen a President’s Trophy (NHL best record) presentation on the ice.
Correct.
link
I did find one example of a trophy presentation. Tampa getting (and touching!) the trophy in 2019. They went out in the first round that year.
link
I think most teams do a banner raising the following fall.
NBA trophy or link? You decide.
For some reason, these kind of look like something that would have been made in the 1940s-1950s to me…not sure why.
With the exception of the Podoloff, all I can think of are the commemorative glasses you could get at McDonald’s.
link
They look very…humble and unassuming. Especially for a bragadocious league like the NBA. They look like big whisky tumblers. Not bad, not good, just puzzling.
I’m still trying to figure out what “the Eastern Conference posts and Western conference rings” are.
The crystal balls on the conference championship trophies sit on different bases. Posts for ECF, hoops/rings for WCF.