Three Players that can Replace Jerry West as the NBA Logo
The iconic image of Jerry West moving his body while dribbling a basketball has been the NBA logo since 1969.
Even though the logo is technically not him and it’s just based on his move, I’m going to refer to it as if it is him to avoid confusion. Nobody has complained about how it looks but many think the person on it is outdated. They feel West was a legend, but not the best. The logo displaying the entire NBA should be the absolute best of the best. It should also be somebody who is widely known and popular, that way the marketing aspects of the league will not take a hit.
Not to disrespect the legendary Jerry West, but it might be time to change the logo. He is not typically viewed as a top ten player of all time and many casual fans, unfortunately, do not know him (even though they should). In this article, I will examine three other possible players who could be represented in the logo and why.
Before diving into these players, let me mention that Lebron James will be an honorable mention for this list. His accomplishments and popularity are obvious but his career is not over yet. Considering someone for the logo who still has more to achieve makes it impossible to compare him to the other options. He deserves an honorable mention and, in all likelihood, will earn a spot on this list once all his achievements are in the record books. He still has more history to write for the NBA and more opportunities to increase his popularity.
First, the Black Mamba, Kobe Bryant, would be a great option for the NBA logo.
This option has been requested by many fans of basketball after his heartbreaking passing this year. Not only would this option be a tribute, but he clearly qualifies to be the logo of the NBA. His accomplishments include being a five-time NBA champion, winning two finals MVPs, winning one MVP, being on the NBA all-defensive first team nine times, and being a two-time scoring champion. His mamba mentality along with his ability to make shots despite being double-teamed or having defenders in his face entertained basketball fans for years.
He’s had many games that will never be forgotten like his 62 points in three quarters against the Dallas Mavericks and his outstanding 81 points against the Toronto Raptors. A perfect option for the logo is a silhouette of him in his famous fade away. He has done many things off the court including being a great father to five kids, donating books to Lebron James’ I Promise School, donating money to his high school basketball team, and constantly supporting cancer research by funding it.
Everybody misses Bryant and his impact on the world is one that will never be forgotten. There is a reason many people yell “Kobe” whenever they shoot a ball or throw a piece of trash away. Having Bryant as the NBA logo would be a great way to honor his memory. He’s done more than enough to earn it.
The second option is the creator of the skyhook, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
He is the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, won six NBA championships, and won the MVP award twice. He’s achieved enough to be the NBA logo as well. He is the first player responsible for the slam dunk being banned in college basketball because he dominated everyone with it. So, what did he do after the slam dunk was banned?
He revolutionized the game by creating arguably the best shot of all time, the skyhook. That skyhook could be the perfect silhouette for the NBA’s logo. Keeping the same color scheme while having a silhouette of Abdul-Jabbar shooting the skyhook would most likely leave no basketball fans complaining.
Abdul-Jabbar is not just known for what he’s done in basketball. Most people know him for things he’s done off the court, too. He managed his charity, the Skyhook Foundation, in which he grants kids in financial need the proper opportunities for education. He has also been in many iconic movies which made him even more well-known to the world. Some examples are his roles in Airplane and Game of Death. Abdul-Jabbar is one of the best of the best. He cemented a lot of history to the game of basketball and is known by most people. Choosing a player to represent a league does not get much better than that.
The last option, and the most iconic player of his era, is Michael Jordan.
He clearly accomplished a lot for the NBA and many fans view him as the greatest player of all time. He won six NBA championships, won the MVP award five times, won the NBA Finals MVP awards, won the defensive player of the year award, is a ten-time NBA scoring champion, and even won the rookie-of-the-year award. His impact on the court is clear to most. He revolutionized basketball with his crazy athleticism in addition to his intense mentality.
He’s responsible for many historic moments like the flu game in the 1997 NBA Finals against the Utah Jazz, his slam dunk from the free-throw line in the 1987 dunk contest, his shot to seal the 1998 NBA Finals after crossing over Byron Russell, and his shot over Craig Ehlo to eliminate the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 1989 playoffs.
The logo could be a silhouette of him dunking with his tongue out or it could be a similar silhouette to the Jordan brand logo with the current logo’s color scheme. His history supports a perfect logo since he impacted the world off the court as well. His role in Space Jam is arguably the most famous role an athlete has ever played in cinema history. He created such a popular brand that the Jordan label became a fashion statement rather than just basketball shoes.
A lot of people that do not watch basketball are seen rocking the famous Air Jordan 1’s, Jordan clothes, and even Jordan bags. Nearly everybody in the world, regardless of the amount of basketball they have watched, knows who Jordan is. He achieved the accomplishments, sealed many historical moments, and holds the best marketing capability to represent the NBA.
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-Kyle Randolph – Franchise Sports Media
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