Adam Silver says league may look at bringing back large Larry O'Brien logos to NBA Finals courts next season
Sparked on social media, the uproar could lead to the return of center court trophy logos

If you turned on Game 1 of the NBA Finals you might've noticed the lack of any signage or logos suggesting this was the NBA Finals. If you didn't notice, there's a very good chance that if you were on social media during the game you'd come across several posts talking about how the league didn't do a good enough job of making this series feel different than just any other game.
I noticed it off the bat, taking to X (formerly Twitter) to wonder why there were no "NBA Finals" logos on the court, or announcing of the starting lineups, which had been customary in the past. And I wasn't the only one, many fans and media members alike resurfaced the request for the league to bring back the NBA Finals courts that donned a giant Larry O'Brien trophy at center court, which was used earlier this century.
We need this Larry O’Brien trophy at center of the court back 😤💯 pic.twitter.com/dwsojpJCFL
— NBA Memes (@NBAMemes) June 4, 2025
It's a small thing, but by having those logos on the floor, or even a logo that reads "NBA Finals" it makes the viewer feel like this is different than your regular February basketball game. Well, the NBA clearly heard everyone and quickly tried to rectify the issue for Game 2, except the execution was pretty bad.
Instead of placing decals on the floor, the league opted to digitally add two small Larry O'Brien trophies on the floor, and it looked like a cartoon.
This is not what we meant when we said we wanted the Larry O’Brien Trophy back on the floor. pic.twitter.com/CXZQLa5sTC
— Sam Quinn (@SamQuinnCBS) June 9, 2025
It was a short-lived addition, as later on in the telecast the trophy changed to a script font of "The Finals." But that didn't stop social media from poking fun at the league for trying to fix a problem, only to make it worse. It looked like an afterthought just to appease fans, but commissioner Adam Silver said at an NBA charity event after Game 1 that the league will discuss this point in the offseason.
"To be honest, I hadn't thought all that much about it until I (saw) it (on social media)," Silver said. "I'm nostalgic, as well, for certain things. And also, I think for a media-driven culture, whether it's people watching live or seeing those images on social media. It's nice when you're looking back on highlights and they stand out because you see that trophy logo or some other indication that it's a special event. So, we'll look at it."
Silver said one of the reasons the giant Larry O'Brien decals were removed back in 2014 was due to player safety as they were too slick, causing players to slip on them. But that didn't stop the league from rolling out 30 unique courts for the NBA Cup the last two seasons, which also received criticism from players for being too slippery. Luka Doncic, who was then a member of the Dallas Mavericks, complained that the courts were too slippery when playing against the New Orleans Pelicans.
But we're not talking about covering the entire court in one big colored decal like the NBA Cup courts, just some sizable ones along the baseline to signify that this series is more important than all the rest. It's not about nostalgia, it's about adding the necessary flair to the biggest event on the league's calendar. Imagine turning into any number of Super Bowl games and not seeing the giant Super Bowl logos flanking either side of the NFL shield at the 50-yard line. Or watching the World Series without giant painted logos alongside the first and third baseline. When you look back on those events you would think it's just any other game and not the crown jewel event of the sport.
Fortunately, it sounds as though the league is listening to its fans and critics and will have a solution by next year's NBA Finals. It's just a shame it took years of public outcry -- and the creation of some custom merch -- to get there.