Washington Wizards Primary Logo
The bearded magician is dead! The Wizards have discontinued the use of the bearded magician/wizard/partial moon logo that was introduced in 1997 after former owner Abe Pollin led the charge to change the team’s name from the Bullets. 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 (which are also featured on the apron of center court at Verizon Center) and the team's wordmark.
The Wizards' have a long history of logos, mostly because of the city changes from Chicago to Baltimore and then Washington D.C.

2015 - Present
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 and the team’s wordmark “WASHINGTON” on top and “WIZARDS” on the bottom all in white.

2012 - 2015
In 2011, the Wizards shed the colors of old and adopted a far more pleasing nod to the Nation’s Capital with the red, white and blue scheme. The refreshed “Wizards and moon” mark is highlighted by the new red, white and blue color scheme as well as a modified font and tweaks to the structure of the logo.
The re-colored Wizards’ logo features a blue “W” as the body of the wizard and he has a white beard. The wizard is holding a red basketball with white seams and he is pointing to a red star in the other hand. Also a crescent blue moon shaped like a basketball. A wordmark “WIZARDS” below the logo in blue.

2008 - 2011
The 2008 logo is the same logo as the 1998 logo with only some slight color changes.
The Wizards’ logo features a black “W” as the body of the wizard and he has a white beard. The wizard is holding a gold basketball with black seams and he is pointing to a gold star in the other hand. Also a crescent gold moon shaped like a basketball. A wordmark “WIZARDS” below the logo in blue.

1998 - 2007
The first version of the Wizards’ logo features a black “W” as the body of the wizard and he has a white beard. The wizard is holding a gold basketball with black seams and he is pointing to a gold star in the other hand. Also a crescent gold moon shaped like a basketball. A wordmark “WIZARDS” below the logo in blue.


Washington Bullets
1988 - 1997
The Bullets made some dramatic changes to their logo. They changed the font, changed to a lighter blue, capitalized the letter “B” and changed back to a red with white outline basketball.

1975 - 1987
The Washington Bullets went with the same logo from 1974 with some minor changes. The wordmark “Bullets” in blue with the letters “ll”‘s forming two hands grabbing for a red basketball. A wordmark ‘WASHINGTON” in blue above the letter “b.”


Capital Bullets
1974
The Capital Bullets use the same logo from 1970’s Baltimore Bullets logo. A wordmark “Bullets” in blue with the letters “L” forming two hands grabbing for a red basketball. A wordmark ‘CAPITAL” in blue on top and to the right of the main wordmark.


Baltimore Bullets
1973
“bullets” wordmark in light blue with the letters “l” forming two hands grabbing for a orange basketball. A wordmark ‘BALTIMORE” in light blue on the top and to the right of the main wordmark.

1972
“bullets” wordmark in blue with the letters “l” forming two hands grabbing for a orange basketball. A wordmark ‘BALTIMORE” in blue on the top and to the right of the main wordmark.

1970 - 1971
“bullets” wordmark in light blue with the letters “l” forming two hands grabbing for a orange basketball. A wordmark ‘BALTIMORE” in light blue on the top and to the right of the main wordmark.

1969
“bullets” wordmark in orange with the letters “l” forming two hands grabbing for a orange basketball. A wordmark ‘BALTIMORE” in blue on the top and to the right of the main wordmark.

1963 - 1969
Wordmark “Bullets” in red on a white with blue outline basketball. A blue bullet flying just below the main wordmark followed by a red streak starting at the letter “B.” A wordmark “BALTIMORE” on top in blue.
Sports Logo Case Study #3—1954 Baltimore Bullets
Prior to the Warriors, the last NBA team that covered up their shoulders was the 1954 Baltimore Bullets. In addition to being the last NBA franchise to wear sleeves, they were also the last NBA franchise to fold.
There aren't too many graphics associated with this Bullets franchise, but there are some interesting and noteworthy visual and marketing highlights from their lifespan.
Their logo featured a speeding bullet piercing a basketball.
This is something that we definitely would not see today.


Chicago Zephyrs
1963
The new team called Zephyrs would feature a wordmark “Zephyrs” in gold with a white and black outline aligned across diagonally. The letters are streaking to symbolize wind.


Chicago Packers
1962
The Packers original logo in 1962, a black outline of a bull’s head on a brown basketball.
