SPORTS LOGO HISTORY

Sports Logo HistorySports Logo History
  • Home
  • Logos Type
    • Alternate Logo History
    • Primary Logo History
    • Wordmark Logo History
  • League Logos
    • AAF Logo History
    • ABA Logo History
    • CFL Logo History
    • College Logo History
    • MLB Logo History
    • MLS Logo History
    • NBA Logo History
    • NFL Logo History
    • NHL Logo History
    • Premier Logo History
    • USFL Logo History
    • WNBA Logo History
    • XFL Logo History
  • More…
    • Sports Logo News
    • League Logo Battle
    • Clash of Logos
      • MLB Logo Tourney
      • NBA Logo Tourney
      • NFL Logo Tourney
      • NHL Logo Tourney
    • Sports Team History
    • Sports News History
    • Sports Market History
    • Sports Logo History Products
Image

NBA Primary Logo

Clash of Logos - NBA Banner




Primary Logos

The NBA primary logos have a rich and fascinating history that reflects the evolution of the league and its teams. Let's delve into the captivating story behind some of the most iconic NBA logos.

One of the earliest NBA logos dates back to the 1940s when the league was known as the Basketball Association of America (BAA). The Boston Celtics, one of the league's founding teams, introduced a simple yet instantly recognizable logo featuring a leprechaun dribbling a basketball. This logo has become an enduring symbol of the Celtics' storied history and success.

In the 1970s, the league underwent significant changes, merging with the American Basketball Association (ABA) to become the NBA we know today. This merger brought new teams and fresh logos into the fold. The San Antonio Spurs, for example, introduced a logo featuring a fierce-looking spur, embodying the team's strong and determined identity.

The 1990s witnessed a surge of creativity in NBA logos. The Chicago Bulls introduced their iconic logo, showcasing a charging bull with fiery red eyes. This logo perfectly captured the intensity and dominance of Michael Jordan and the Bulls during their championship-winning era.

The turn of the millennium saw a shift towards sleek and modern designs. The Miami Heat, for instance, unveiled a logo featuring a basketball engulfed in flames, representing the team's fiery passion and energy. Meanwhile, the Toronto Raptors introduced a ferocious dinosaur logo, symbolizing the team's relentless pursuit of victory.

In recent years, some teams have opted for minimalist and clean designs. The Golden State Warriors, for example, updated their logo to a simplified depiction of the iconic Bay Bridge, paying homage to their Bay Area roots.

The NBA primary logos continue to evolve as teams embrace new branding strategies and design trends. These logos serve as powerful visual representations that encapsulate a team's identity, history, and aspirations, captivating fans and leaving an indelible mark on the league's storied legacy.

NBA Products

Kobe Bryant Los Angeles Lakers 10.5" x 13" 60 Point Finale Sublimated Plaque - NBA Team Plaques and Collages
4.7 out of 5 stars(767)
Check Price
Milwaukee Bucks Unsigned 2021 NBA Finals Champions 12" Replica Larry O'Brien Trophy with Sublimated Plate - NBA Team Plaques and Collages
4.7 out of 5 stars(28)
Check Price
Milwaukee Bucks Framed 11" x 14" 2021 NBA Finals Champions Collage with Facsimile Signatures - NBA Team Plaques and Collages
Check Price
Milwaukee Bucks 12" x 15" 2021 NBA Finals Champions Team Sublimated Plaque - NBA Team Plaques and Collages
4.9 out of 5 stars(17)
Check Price
LeBron James Los Angeles Lakers 12" x 15" 2020 NBA Finals Champion Sublimated Player Plaque - NBA Team Plaques and Collages
4.3 out of 5 stars(8)
Check Price
SPORTS MEMORABILIA Giannis Antetokounmpo Milwaukee Bucks 12in x 15in 2021 NBA Finals Champion Sublimated Player Plaque - NBA Team Plaques and Collages
4.5 out of 5 stars(59)
Check Price
San Antonio Spurs Framed 15" x 17" Hardwood Classic Logo Team Threads Collage - NBA Team Plaques and Collages
Check Price
LeBron James Los Angeles Lakers Framed 10.5" x 13" 3rd Player In NBA History to Score 35,000 Points Sublimated Plaque - NBA Team Plaques and Collages
5.0 out of 5 stars(16)
Check Price
Inspirational Sports Stories for Kids: How 15 Legendary Athletes Overcame Adversity to Emerge as the Worlds Greatest | Lessons in Mental Toughness for Young Readers
4.9 out of 5 stars(177)
Check Price
GGRR Elite Basketball Socks for Boys and Girls, Athletic Socks with Basketball Wristband, Compression Sport Socks for Kids 6-13, Red
4.4 out of 5 stars(95)
Check Price
NBA Champions 2001: Lakers (TM1668)
4.7 out of 5 stars(105)
Check Price
Kobe Bryant's Muse
4.8 out of 5 stars(239)
Check Price
NBA Los Angeles Lakers Men's 9Fifty Team Color Basic Snapback Cap, One Size, Black
4.6 out of 5 stars(1650)
Check Price
NFL America's Game: 1985 BEARS (Super Bowl XX)
4.4 out of 5 stars(102)
Check Price
Inspirational Soccer Stories for Young Readers: 12 Unbelievable True Tales to Inspire and Amaze Young Soccer Lovers
4.9 out of 5 stars(11)
Check Price
NBA Greatest Moments in NBA History
4.6 out of 5 stars(66)
Check Price
Rider Block NBA Athletic Flip-Flops for Men, Golden State Warriors, 10
4.4 out of 5 stars(95)
Check Price
Pro Basketball Travel Map - Basketball Poster with Push Pins Designed to Mark Your Travels while seeing Your Favorite Basketball Teams - Great Mens Gift - Push Pin Map for the Basketball Fanatic…
3.9 out of 5 stars(4)
Check Price
2016 World Series Champions: Chicago Cubs
4.8 out of 5 stars(1498)
Check Price
NBA Miami Heat Team Logo Necklace
3.9 out of 5 stars(525)
Check Price
NBA Champions 2001- 2002: Lakers (TM1669)
4.6 out of 5 stars(67)
Check Price
Susook Basketball Cross Necklace for Boys Bible Verse I CAN DO All Things Stainless Steel Sport Pendant for Men(Black)
4.6 out of 5 stars(2018)
Check Price
Inspirational Sports Stories for Young Readers: How 12 World-Class Athletes Overcame Challenges and Rose to the Top
4.6 out of 5 stars(612)
Check Price
2018 World Series Champions: Boston Red Sox
4.7 out of 5 stars(67)
Check Price
foco NFL 3D BRXLZ Football Puzzle
4.3 out of 5 stars(214)
Check Price

atlanta-hawks-primary-logo

Atlanta Hawks

A minor update to the Atlanta Hawks primary logo for the 2020 - 2021 NBA season, the Hawks updated the font used in the wordmark in the roundel and also removed the word "CLUB" from…

See Team Logos
boston-celtics-primary-logo

Boston Celtics

The world-famous figure has his left eye winking at you, his left hand resting on his shillelagh, his right index finger is pointing straight upward with a brown basketball sitting atop, his left foot crossed…

See Team Logos
brooklyn-nets-primary-logo

Brooklyn Nets

The new Nets logo features a blacked out shield and the wordmark "NETS" accompanied by the letter "B" inside a basketball in a crest and "BROOKLYN" underneath.

See Team Logos
charlotte-hornets-primary-logo

Charlotte Hornets

The new Hornets logo utilizes the purple and teal color palette and features an aggressive looking hornet that is ready to attack. Its piercing eyes, raised antennae, expanded wings and pointed stinger depict its relentless…

See Team Logos
chicago-bulls-primary-logo

Chicago Bulls

The iconic Bulls' logo is comprises of the face of an angry and fierce red bull whose horns are tipped with blood. A wordmark "CHICAGO BULLS" in black above the bull. The logo was designed…

See Team Logos
cleveland-cavaliers-primary-logo

Cleveland Cavaliers

Continue with the black with gold and maroon shield and wordmark "CLEVELAND CAVALIERS" in gold with a custom letter "C" in maroon with gold highlights. A new shade of gold, replacing mustard as their primary…

See Team Logos
dallas-mavericks-primary-logo

Dallas Mavericks

Incorporating a shield with a the head of a stallion, the stallion’s mane sweeps inside a circle giving the appearance of the seam lines found on a basketball. In addition, a wordmark of “Mavericks” at…

See Team Logos
denver-nuggets-primary-logo

Denver Nuggets

Gold pickaxes with a white and gold mountain peak between them, a white and gold basketball below inside a navy blue and red with gold trim roundel. Wordmark "DENVER NUGGETS" in white encircling the logo…

See Team Logos
detroit-pistons-primary-logo

Detroit Pistons

In 2017 the Pistons return to the 80's and 90's logo. Pistons changed the basketball to a solid red with white outline. The wordmark “DETROIT PISTONS” in white and in the center of the basketball.…

See Team Logos
golden-state-warriors-primary-logo

Golden State Warriors

Bay Bridge in blue on a yellow circle with wordmark "GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS" surrounding it, font and bridge updated for 2019-20 season.

See Team Logos
houston-rockets-primary-logo

Houston Rockets

A red letter "R" shaped like a rocket ship blasting off on a black and graphite basketball planet with a wordmark ""HOUSTON ROCKETS" in white ringed around it.

See Team Logos
indiana-pacers-primary-logo

Indiana Pacers

Former primary logo in the middle of a yellow ring with wordmark on top “INDIANA and on the bottom “PACERS” in blue.

See Team Logos
los-angeles-clippers-primary-logo

Los Angeles Clippers

Wordmark "CLIPPERS" in black with a silver lining in between two arched horizontal red and blue lines on either side. A basketball with the initials "LAC" in the center of the basketball and above the…

See Team Logos
los-angeles-lakers-primary-logo

Los Angeles Lakers

A gold with purple outline basketball with a wordmark "LAKERS" across the front in purple with speed lines on a white formed background. A darkened shade of purple.

See Team Logos
memphis-grizzlies-primary-logo

Memphis Grizzlies

Slight adjustments made to previous Grizzlies' primary logo, which include removal of lightest of their three blues at the snout, addition of grey outline, and new wordmark font "MEMPHIS" and "GRIZZLIES" in blue.

See Team Logos
miami-heat-primary-logo

Miami Heat

In 1999, Miami Heat logo went through a minor changes, the structure and shape remain unchanged, but the color of the fiery basketball has changed to red below the rim and orange above the rim…

See Team Logos
milwaukee-bucks-primary-logo

Milwaukee Bucks

The new Buck is only looking ahead, an imposing figure determined and focused on the path in front of him. An expanded rack (from 8 to 12 points) showing the maturation of the Buck, and…

See Team Logos
minnesota-timberwolves-primary-logo

Minnesota Timberwolves

The logo has many nods to Minnesota, the team and, of course, the Timberwolf. There’s the North Star which represents one of the pillars Minnesota hangs its hat on. The star represents Minnesota pride. The…

See Team Logos
new-orleans-pelicans-primary-logo

New Orleans Pelicans

The new Pelicans primary logo has a red background with the wordmark "PELICANS" and "NEW ORLEANS" written in white, a pelican's head in white, gold wings and a bill in red, a gold basketball and…

See Team Logos
new-york-knickerbockers-primary-logo

New York Knickerbockers

A wordmark "KNICKS" in orange arched over an orange with blue trim basketball placed on a silver with blue trim triangle and "NEW YORK" arched above in blue. Slightly tweaked the color of the orange…

See Team Logos
oklahoma-city-thunder-primary-logo

Oklahoma City Thunder

The Oklahoma City Thunder unveiled their first logo on September 3, 2008. The logo is a large blue and yellow banner with the logo in the middle with the wordmark "OKC," and splashes of yellow…

See Team Logos
orlando-magic-primary-logo

Orlando Magic

In 2011, the new logo incorporates the Magic's wordmark "MAGIC" in blue with a white and black border giving a more integrated look. The updated look includes the team's current logo with the iconic star…

See Team Logos
philadelphia-76ers-primary-logo

Philadelphia 76ers

The team’s new primary logo is a modern interpretation of the classic Sixers insignia, stylistically redeveloped to include a patriotic blue border with six white stars and “PHILADELPHIA” adorned across the heading. The familiar white…

See Team Logos
phoenix-suns-primary-logo

Phoenix Suns

A basketball sunburst over the stacked wordmark “PHOENIX SUNS" with a new font. The new logo features a black backdrop and a simplified basketball similar to the one used by the team from 1993 -…

See Team Logos
portland-trailblazers-primary-logo

Portland Trailblazers

The main change is the swap of the colors in the pinwheel, with red moving up top, and white - instead of silver - going to the bottom. There's also a slight design change in…

See Team Logos
sacramento-kings-primary-logo

Sacramento Kings

The new primary logo closely resembles the team's original logo created back when the franchise moved from Kansas City to Sacramento in 1985. A wordmark "KINGS" in purple in between a purple crown and a…

See Team Logos
san-antonio-spurs-primary-logo

San Antonio Spurs

Double arched wordmark "SAN ANTONIO" on top and "SPURS" on the bottom in black. The letter "U" is the alternate logo of a spur.

See Team Logos
toronto-raptors-primary-logo

Toronto Raptors

The Toronto Raptors made some color changes to their primary logo. Silver was eliminated completely from the color scheme and the basketball was re-colored red. New to this logo is an outside thick white border.…

See Team Logos
utah-jazz-primary-logo

Utah Jazz

A "J" note with a basketball connected to a musical note and a wordmark "UTAH JAZZ" in blue. No more multi-colors.

See Team Logos
washington-wizards-primary-logo

Washington Wizards

The new primary logo incorporates the “monument ball” design that has been in place since 2011 in combination with the iconic striping from the team’s uniforms, the three stars that represent D.C., Maryland and Virginia…

See Team Logos




Sports Logo Battle
National Football League Logo
National Basketball Associations Logo
Major League Baseball Logo 2019
Image
NCAA Primary Logo 2000 - Present
League and Conference Sports Logo Battle is where anything goes between all teams in each league or conference. See all the professional teams and college teams from the major conferences. Who is your favorite team, and are they the best in their league or conference?
All Leagues and Conferences
MLB League Battle
NBA League Battle
NHL League Battle
NFL League Battle
WNBA League Battle
ACC Conference Battle
Big 12 Conference Battle
Big 10 Conference Battle
PAC 12 Conference Battle
SEC Conference Battle

Sports Logo News

The Toronto Blue Jays Logo: Secrets of Longevity of the Canadian MLB Team

November 21, 2023

The Evolution of Crystal Palace Eagles’ Logo

November 16, 2023

Secrets to the Longevity of the Los Angeles Chargers Logo

November 15, 2023

Top 5 WNBA Logos: A Blend of Aesthetics and Team Spirit

November 8, 2023

Sports Team History Logo
Sports News History Logo
Sports Market History Logo
Sports Logo History Logo

"It's not all about the Team, It's about the LOGO."

  • About
  • Contact Us
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy

© 2013 - 2023 - Sports History Group LLC - All Rights Reserved
  • Home
  • Logos Type
    • Alternate Logo History
    • Primary Logo History
    • Wordmark Logo History
  • League Logos
    • AAF Logo History
    • ABA Logo History
    • CFL Logo History
    • College Logo History
    • MLB Logo History
    • MLS Logo History
    • NBA Logo History
    • NFL Logo History
    • NHL Logo History
    • Premier Logo History
    • USFL Logo History
    • WNBA Logo History
    • XFL Logo History
  • More…
    • Sports Logo News
    • League Logo Battle
    • Clash of Logos
      • MLB Logo Tourney
      • NBA Logo Tourney
      • NFL Logo Tourney
      • NHL Logo Tourney
    • Sports Team History
    • Sports News History
    • Sports Market History
    • Sports Logo History Products
Available for Amazon Prime