NBA is celebrating its 75th anniversary next season. And it was to be expected that the association would present a special logo to commemorate this date. However, the anniversary emblem, that was unveiled a few days ago, appeared to be a disappointment for some fans as it is based on the current NBA logotype with the silhouette of Jerry West, instead of an image of Kobe Bryant they anticipated to see.
For the new logo, the iconic Jerry West silhouette, against a blue-and-red background and a basketball pattern with the number “75”, was placed into a diamond shape. Some people suggest that the diamond form may probably be inspired by the term “Diamond wedding” that is celebrated after 75 years of the marriage.
Anyway, this emblem will appear throughout the 2021/22 season, according to the league. Fans will able to see it in arenas and broadcast, on official NBA merchandise and social media. NBA will additionally inform of planned celebrations.
While the NBA logo has stayed unchanged since 1969, the association used it with some changes only to celebrate its anniversaries. Previously, fans proposed to refresh it with other legendary players like Michael Jordan or LeBron James. After the tragic death of Kobe Bryant last year, an online petition appeared to memorialize him in a new NBA logo. That’s why many were upset to see the anniversary emblem without the beloved player. The logotype was also criticized for the banal design of the diamond shape which looks like the Superman logo or a baseball home square.
