The NBA logo: a history - Creative Bloq
The NBA logo is one of the most enduring in professional sports. Here's how it came to be.
www.creativebloq.comHere’s a quick update on the NBA logo situation based on the latest publicly available coverage:
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The traditional NBA logo, featuring Jerry West, remained the league’s official mark for many years and has been central to branding discussions since its introduction in 1969. Recent reporting up to 2025-2026 continued to describe Jerry West as the enduring silhouette associated with the logo, with no confirmed, sustained change to the official emblem as of that period .
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There has been significant online discussion and viral speculation about possible replacements (notably threads suggesting LeBron James could become the new logo). However, authoritative sources and official NBA communications in late 2024–early 2026 repeatedly emphasized that no formal replacement had been announced, and the iconic silhouette remained tied to the league’s branding identity .
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For fans and researchers, two patterns are useful to track:
- Official branding updates: The NBA tends to roll out logo typography and color refinements across assets (digital, broadcast, merchandise) without changing the primary silhouette unless a major rebrand is announced by the league .
- Media and influencer coverage: Viral videos and opinion pieces often forecast or debate a logo change, but these are not substitutes for official statements; many such pieces emphasize hypotheticals rather than confirmed plans .
Illustration: If you’re curious how the logo has evolved, a concise timeline shows the original silhouette introduction in 1969, followed by typography and color refinements in later decades, with the most persistent element being the Jerry West silhouette itself .
If you’d like, I can monitor reliable outlets for any official NBA announcements and summarize any confirmed changes as soon as they’re published.