Whether they were the tiny plastic figurines everyone got just for participating, or the gaudy, “how-will-we-get-that-big-thing-home?” ones reserved for individual and team excellence, trophies have always been used to gauge athletic success.
Today, the NBA unveiled its newest designs for its end-of-season trophies. The trophies are designed in partnership with artist Victor Solomon, who previously worked with the league to redesign its trophy offerings throughout the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Season.
The Joe Dumars Trophy is named after the former Detroit Pistons great and Hall of Famer who won the inaugural NBA Sportsmanship award in 1995-96. The trophy features two players shaking hands in respect of each other and is awarded to the player who best represents the ideals of sportsmanship on the court.
“Winning the first NBA Sportsmanship Award and being the trophy’s namesake are among the greatest honors of my career,” said Dumars, now the NBA Executive Vice President, Head of Basketball Operations. “The reimagined trophies represent the enduring legacy of past recipients and are a fitting way to honor those who will continue to raise the standard of excellence in our game.”
The Twyman-Stokes Trophy honors Twyman, who supported teammate Maurice Stokes after he was injured in a game and later came down with encephalopathy. It is awarded to the NBA Teammate of the Year and the trophy features Twyman with his arm around Stokes guiding him and supporting him.
The Red Auerbach Trophy is named after the legendary Boston Celtics coach and is awarded to the NBA Coach of the Year winner. The trophy features the famous Lloyd Lillie sculpture of Auerbach on the bench with game plan in one hand and cigar in the other.
The Maurice Podoloff Trophy is a new award that is named after the first commissioner of the NBA. It is awarded to the team with the best record in the league after 82 games. The trophy features a crystal ball cut into 82 panels, sitting on a pedestal that combines the structures of the Eastern Conference posts and Western conference rings.
NBA Executive of the Year Award is awarded to the top front office executive. The iconic five-sided pyramid symbolizes 5 players on the floor united and point towards the apex under the direction of the executive.
These individual trophies all feature an embedment inside a 15” crystal net structure. The front face is flat to allow for a direct line of sight to the icon and, at the bottom, the etching of the award detail and winner.
