Looking back at the NBA Finals trophy logo courts of the pastAnthony GharibJun 1, 2026, 03:14 PM ETMultiple Authors
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The 2026 NBA Finals tip off on Wednesday between the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs. The matchup will be a familiar sight for longtime NBA fans as it’s a rematch of the 1999 Finals. However, the aesthetics will be reminiscent of another time, too: the mid-2000s.
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Trophy image, script logo back for Finals courts
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Starting with the 2005 NBA Finals, the Larry O’Brien Trophy appeared in center court for each game. It heightened the importance of the final round, but the NBA stopped using the decals following the 2009 postseason.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver offered a simple explanation last year for the pivot.
“I’ve seen some of the chatter on social media around on-court decals,” Silver mentioned on ESPN during the 2025 NBA Finals. “People don’t realize they went away a decade ago because there were claims that some of the players [were saying] they were slippery when we had the decals on the floor.”
As the years and Finals passed, photos of the decal would surface and go viral on social media. The nostalgia led to an outcry from fans to bring it back, and the league did so digitally for Game 2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers matchup last year.
Sources told ESPN’s Shams Charania in October that the trophy would indeed return for the upcoming Finals series. And on Sunday, the league made it official, sharing what the courts for the Spurs and Knicks will look like in the final round — with the Larry O’Brien front and center painted on the hardwood instead of as a decal.
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San Antonio is familiar with this design. It participated in the Finals in 2005 and 2007, winning both. However, New York hasn’t been at this stage of the postseason since 1999.
As the trophy makes its return to the court, here’s a look back at each previous NBA Finals series to feature the trophy design.
2005 NBA Finals: Spurs vs. Detroit Pistons
The 2005 NBA Finals marked the first time the Larry O’Brien Trophy appeared at center court for the series. Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images2006 NBA Finals: Miami Heat vs. Dallas Mavericks
Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat won the 2006 NBA Finals against the Dallas Mavericks. (Photo by John W. McDonough/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)2007 NBA Finals: Spurs vs. Cleveland Cavaliers
LeBron James made his first NBA Finals appearance in 2007 against the San Antonio Spurs. (Photo by D. Clarke Evans/NBAE via Getty Images)2008 NBA Finals: Boston Celtics vs. Los Angeles Lakers
The Celtics dispatched the Lakers in six games in the 2008 NBA Finals. Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images2009 NBA Finals: Lakers vs. Orlando Magic
The 2009 NBA Finals marked the final time until this year that the Larry O’Brien Trophy appeared on center court. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
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