The Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy is the ultimate prize awarded annually to the winning team of the National Basketball Association (NBA) Finals. It is a masterpiece crafted out of 16 pounds of sterling silver and layered with 24-karat gold vermeil. [1, 2]
Key Trophy Specifications
- Height: It stands 25.5 inches tall.
- Weight: It weighs approximately 30 pounds.
- Design Concept: A regulation-size basketball frozen in motion as it hits the rim of a net.
- Manufacturer: Hand-crafted entirely by master artisans at the Tiffany & Co. Hollowware Workshop in Cumberland, Rhode Island. [2, 3, 4, 5]
Recent Evolution & Features
The NBA introduced a subtle redesign of the trophy in collaboration with artist Victor Solomon: [2, 3]
- The Base: Reconfigured into two stacked circular discs. The top disc permanently catalogs the first 75 NBA champions, while the bottom disc leaves space to etch champions for the next 25 years. [2, 3, 4]
- Hidden Gem: The updated trophy includes an “Easter Egg” on its absolute underside—the official NBA Finals logo script is etched beneath the base, only visible when players hoist the trophy high over their heads. [2, 4]
- A New Trophy Every Year: Unlike some sports where a single trophy is passed around, a brand new Larry O’Brien trophy is produced every single season. Winning franchises maintain permanent possession of their hardware. [2, 6]
- Court Traditions: In a major victory for nostalgic fans, the iconic image of the Larry O’Brien trophy has been officially painted back onto center court for the Finals. This replaces digital on-court graphics, bringing back a classic aesthetic that was removed after 2009 due to traction and player safety concerns. [2, 7, 8]
Namesake and History
Originally called the Walter A. Brown Trophy, the prize was officially renamed in 1984 to honor Larry O’Brien. O’Brien served as the third commissioner of the NBA from 1975 to 1984, guiding the league through its transformative merger with the American Basketball Association (ABA), securing game-changing national television contracts, and introducing the legendary three-point line to the game. [1, 3, 6, 9, 10]
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