Every NBA Team Logo Redesigned

Addison Foote
I wanted to try coming up with a few identity concepts for some NBA teams. After I had finished the first few fairly quickly, I asked myself “What if I finished a logo for all 30 teams in just 30 days?!” I didn’t think I could do it in time, but I knew the challenge would only help me become a better designer, so i went for it. It took me all 30 days, but I did it! Below I’ve listed every team with a brief description in alphabetical order.

With this logo, I combined Atlanta’s primary and secondary marks to create the letters “AH” using the lines of a basketball and the classic Hawk.

It’s hard to completely start over with a rebrand of such a classic and well-known logo like the Celtics have, so instead of trying something totally new, I stuck with all of the same key elements their current logo has and modernized it a bit.

I drew inspiration from their current logo and their older logos from when they were in New Jersey to create this. However, I always found it strange that the franchise has had 7 different logos in their history and none of them has had a net incorporated into the design! I a put a net into my version and kept the triangular shield along with a nice flowing typeface that represents the movement the net makes when the ball goes through it.

Since their new and older logos feature a hornet head on, I wanted to try a side-profile to be a little different. I used the lines of the basketball to create the shape of the hornet’s stinger and used elements from their current and older logos such the wings and the “H” on the ball. I bordered the logo with a hexagon to symbolize a hive.

5. Chicago Bulls
Like the Celtics, the Bulls have one of those logos that is classic and timeless. Therefore, I wanted to keep their original logo as a base and modernize it. There is a reason the Bulls are the only team in the history of the NBA never to change or alter their original logo.

6. Cleveland Cavaliers
I based this logo off of the Cavs logo from 1983-1994. That logo was a simple wordmark using the “V” as a net with a ball going into it. Instead, I used the key / free-throw line to resemble the “A”.

7. Dallas Mavericks
I used both old and new Mavs logos as inspiration for this. I based it mainly off the old logo where the “M” is wearing a cowboy hat. I updated it a bit and used negative space to showcase a horses ears and head.

8. Denver Nuggets
I took a minimal approach and kept most of the same elements from Denver’s current logo to create this.

9. Detroit Pistons
Detroit is known as “The Motor City”. Hence the name “Pistons”. I used i piston to replace the “I” and tried to make their current logo look a little more “automotive” if that makes any sense?

10. Golden State Warriors
I took every piece of the Warriors current logo, but wanted to add an element that represented a warrior, so I chose a shield which embodies strength and resilience.

14. Los Angeles Lakers
Again, this is another classic logo that need not be changed too much if at all. Since the name “Lakers” originated from Minneapolis and there are no lakes in L.A., I didn’t want to bring elements from their name into the logo. Instead, I added a star inside the “R” which I think encapsulates L.A. very well.

The current Grizzlies logo is cool, but it kinda looks like a really mean teddy bear that you’d want to snuggle with, but wouldn’t dare try. I wanted to do something a little more fierce. I hid a “G” for Grizzlies in his ear and an “M” for Memphis to left of his mouth.

The Heat have only made minor tweaks and slight color changes to their logo. I wanted to keep it the same, but change it up more than it ever has at the same time.

I took bits and pieces from their current and one of their previous logos. I stuck with the 3D type, ball, triangular shape and pieced it all together and this was the result.

OKC’s mascot is a bison, so I created a tough looking bison and kept the shape of the shield from their current logo as the background. The shapes and lines throughout the logo depict lightning striking. I also removed the orange from their color scheme and added browns which I found more fitting.

I remember looking at the DVD cover of one my favorite movies “The Princess Bride”. I noticed that if you turned the cover upside-down, the text would read the exact same! I thought it was magic! I wanted to try something similar with the Orlando Magic logo. There is no diffence between this logo being upside-down or right-side up.

I used the liberty bell to represent the city of Philadelphia and kept parts of their previous logos such as the 13 stars.

I took the shape of a basketball and removed two sections to create an “S” for Suns which could easily be used as a secondary mark.