On its 75th anniversary, the NBA continues to evolve. Thus, we learn today that there will now be two new trophies awarded each year, during the playoffs: an MVP of the Western conference final, the “Magic Johnson Award”, and an MVP of the Eastern conference final, the Larry Bird Award.
These two awards, which highlight one of the greatest rivalries in history, will be revealed before the Finals. Finals who will continue to devote an MVP, with the “Bill Russell Award”. This one also offers a slight facelift, because it is now entirely made of vermeil.
Note that the Conference Finals MVP and Finals are differentiated by the color of the basketball represented on it: silver for those in the conference finals, vermeil for those in the Finals. A vermeil thread is also visible on the face of the three trophies.
Next update for the 100 years of the NBA
As for the collective distinctions, the usual titles of champion of the Western conference and champion of the Eastern conference have also undergone some slight visual changes.
In addition to bearing the names of Oscar Robertson and Bob Cousy respectively, as a tribute to these two legends, first presidents of the players’ association.
Finally, the NBA champion’s trophy, the “Larry O’Brien Trophy”, has also been revised. Its base has two superimposed discs, where we find the names of the first 75 champions in history and where we will find the names of the next 25, to reach the 100th anniversary of the league. Its face presents the new logo of the Finals.
These different awards have all been redesigned or imagined in collaboration with the artist Victor Solomon (already in charge of the design of the All-Star Weekend trophies) and the luxury house Tiffany & Co.
