NBA Logo Redesigns

A long-running side project where I design a new logo for all 30 NBA teams.

Role Fan/Graphic Designer

Year 2013–2023

Atlanta Hawks

This layout with the hawk perched over the ball was inspired by the 1951 Milwaukee Hawks logo. The Hawks later moved to St. Louis before moving to Atlanta in 1968. I liked the hawk and ATL lettering as secondary logos.

Boston Celtics

I reimagined the Celtics brand with a more dynamic Lucky the leprechaun, an 80's-inspired minimal green and white color scheme, and other details like a new shamrock and vintage script logo.

Brooklyn Nets

This design mixes the minimal New Jersey Nets logo and the 70s ABA style of the New York Nets. I was also inspired by Brooklyn's nickname "The Planet".

Charlotte Hornets

The iconic original Hornets logo influenced me to proudly wear a teal Starter jacket in the late 90s. I tried to find a middle ground between that original hornet and the more modernized current brand.

Chicago Bulls

The Bulls are the only NBA franchise to never change their logo. It took a lot of sketches to figure out this direction of combining the bull with typography.

Cleveland Cavaliers

As I learned during this project, a cavalier is some kind of English soldier. This design shows the cavalier in action, inspired on the original 1970 Cavs logo.

Dallas Mavericks

"Maverick" is kind of a weird word, is it a cowboy? Is it a horse like the current Mavericks brand? I tried to figure it out, and ended up with a throwback to their 1980s logo, with a goofy cowboy hat and a blue/green color scheme.

Denver Nuggets

The Nuggets use a lot of mountains and pickaxes in their branding. I tried adding more of a mascot character inspired by the miner from their old ABA logo.

Detroit Pistons

This update of the evil looking horse from the 90's Pistons logo was inspired by hood ornaments and cars and whatnot.

Golden State Warriors

This was one of the first teams I did, I kept the Bay Bridge but added a more warriorlike shield.

Houston Rockets

A mission patch with an astronaut mascot felt right for the Rockets, in their old red and yellow colors.

Indiana Pacers

Some aggressive italic lettering for the speed-inspired Pacers.

Los Angeles Clippers

Another early one, trying a nautical theme for the Clippers. I'd love to re-do the banner but still like the LA rope lettering.

Los Angeles Lakers

For the Lakers, another LA monogram inspired by their iconic logo and Hollywood style.

Memphis Grizzlies

For the Grizzlies I was inspired by the original Vancouver Grizzlies, and some college basketball logos with aggressive animal mascots.

Miami Heat

I wanted this fiery Heat logo to feel like it would work as a neon sign.

Milwaukee Bucks

This Bucks logo was inspired by taxidermy and beer branding but ended up looking more like a Midwest police badge.

New Orleans Pelicans

Instead of trying to make it look fierce, this simple minimalist pelican embraces the weirdness of the huge mouth.

New York Knicks

For the Knicks, a gargoyle inspired by Manhattan architecture.

Oklahoma City Thunder

The Thunder's brand has had a generic look. I tried to add more symbols of Oklahoma with storm clouds and stampeding bison.

Orlando Magic

This wolf shield is inspired by heraldry, and the standing "rampant" pose means it's ready for battle. The full "Timberwolves" name is simply too long for this.

Philadelphia 76ers

To represent Philadelphia I tried some negative space in the iconic Liberty Bell shape.

Phoenix Suns

A western scene and pattern for the Suns.

Portland Trailblazers

I took it a little too far with the rose ball, but Portland is known as the Rose City and I needed an idea.

Sacramento Kings

The Kings franchise has historically used a crown for their brand, I added a mountain lion for an appropriate local mascot.

San Antonio Spurs

For the Spurs, making the simple gemotric shapes of the spinning spur work as a standalone mark was a fun challenge.

Toronto Raptors

For the Raptors I wanted to find a balance between their original cartoony expansion team logo and the more serious graphic minimalism of their current brand. As the only Canadian franchise, the jagged red shape is a nod to the flag, or an upside down raptor claw.

Utah Jazz

The Jazz brand and Mardi Gras-inspired colors have famously felt out of place in Utah after the team moved from New Orleans. I tried some dynamic typography inspired by jazz festival posters, and combined it with the mountains and warmer colors that represent the Utah landscape.

Washington Wizards

This is one of the earlier designs that inspired me to keep doing this. While playing with some overlapping Ws this wizard appeared to me. The hands are a reference to the old Bullets logo.

Projects