Amanda Knapp
The Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy is the ultimate prize in the NBA, awarded to the winners of the NBA Finals. The trophy, first awarded in 1977, has been won by the Los Angeles Lakers a record 11 times. The Boston Celtics are the most successful team in the Eastern Conference, with 18 titles. The WNBA Championship Trophy is the equivalent prize in the WNBA, while the Kia WNBA MVP Trophy is awarded to the Most Valuable Player of the Championship Series.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the trophy | Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy |
| Association | National Basketball Association (NBA) |
| Awarded to | Winner of the NBA Finals |
| Named after | Larry O'Brien, former NBA commissioner |
| Designer | Victor Solomon |
| Manufacturer | Tiffany & Co. |
| Height | 25.5 inches |
| Weight | 29 pounds |
| Other trophies for the NBA | Kia WNBA MVP Trophy, Bob Cousy Trophy, Oscar Robertson Trophy |
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What You'll Learn
The Larry O'Brien Trophy
The Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy is awarded annually by the National Basketball Association (NBA) to the winner of the NBA Finals. The trophy was originally known as the Walter A. Brown Trophy, named after its predecessor, from its inception in 1977 until it was renamed in 1984. The new name honours former NBA commissioner Larry O'Brien, who served from 1975 to 1984. Before joining the NBA, O'Brien was the United States postmaster general under President Lyndon B. Johnson from 1965 to 1968.
The current design of the trophy, depicting a basketball over a hoop and basket, was first awarded in 1977. The inaugural winners were the Portland Trail Blazers, who defeated the Philadelphia 76ers in six games. Unlike its predecessor, the new trophy is given permanently to the winning team, and a new one is made every year. The championship team maintains permanent possession of the trophy, with the year and winning team's name engraved on it. The trophy is often prominently displayed in the winning team's arena.
The trophy was redesigned as part of the NBA's 75th anniversary season and is manufactured by Tiffany & Co. The most notable change is the replacement of the square foundation of the previous design with two discs. The designer, Victor Solomon, made this change because he thought the former square base was awkward to hold. The top disc displays the league's first 75 championship teams from 1947 to 2021, while the bottom disc will contain the next 25 championship teams from 2022 to 2046, in time for the association's 100th anniversary. The trophy is two feet tall and is made of 15.5 pounds of sterling silver and vermeil with a 24-karat gold overlay. The basketball depicted on top is the same size as a real basketball.
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The Walter A. Brown Trophy
The original Brown Trophy was awarded to the champions of each NBA Finals from 1957 to 1976. During this time, the Boston Celtics dominated, winning 11 out of 13 trophies from 1957 to 1969, including eight consecutive trophies from 1959 to 1966. The final winners of the Brown Trophy were the Boston Celtics, who defeated the Phoenix Suns in the 1976 NBA Finals.
In 1977, a new trophy design was introduced, but it retained the Walter A. Brown name. The inaugural winners of this redesigned trophy were the Philadelphia Warriors, who defeated the Chicago Stags. Unlike the original Brown Trophy, the new trophy was given permanently to the winning team, and a new one was made each year.
In 1984, the trophy was renamed the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy to honour the recently retired NBA commissioner, Larry O'Brien, who had served from 1975 to 1984. O'Brien played a key role in expanding the league's popularity, including negotiating broadcast agreements with CBS and ESPN, which brought the NBA to television. The Boston Celtics were the first team to win the newly renamed trophy, defeating the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1984 NBA Finals.
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The WNBA Championship Trophy
The road to the WNBA Championship Trophy is a gruelling one, with 12 WNBA teams competing in 480 regular-season games over six months. The series is played between the winners of the playoff semifinals, with the winners advancing to the championship round. Since 2005, the WNBA Finals have followed a 2-2-1 format, with the first, second, and fifth games played at the arena of the team with the better regular-season record. Starting in 2025, the WNBA Finals will adopt a best-of-seven series format, mirroring the NBA Finals.
The Minnesota Lynx, Seattle Storm, and the now-defunct Houston Comets have achieved the most success, each claiming the WNBA Championship Trophy four times. On the other hand, the New York Liberty, Connecticut Sun, and Atlanta Dream are still seeking their first championship title.
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The Defensive Player of the Year Trophy
Since the 2022-23 NBA season, winners of the Defensive Player of the Year award have received the Hakeem Olajuwon Trophy, named after the two-time winner of the Defensive Player of the Year award. Olajuwon is the only winner of the Defensive Player of the Year award to have also won the NBA Finals MVP Award and the NBA championship in the same season. He is also one of only five winners to have also won the NBA Most Valuable Player Award (MVP) during their career, along with Michael Jordan, David Robinson, Kevin Garnett, and Giannis Antetokounmpo.
To be eligible for the Defensive Player of the Year award, players must appear in at least 65 games during the regular season. However, two "near misses" in which the player appeared for 15 to 19 minutes can be included in the 65-game count. There are also provisions for players who suffer season-ending injuries, who are eligible with 62 credited games, and those affected by "bad faith circumstances".
Marcus Smart is the current holder of the Defensive Player of the Year award, becoming the first guard to win since Gary Payton in 1996. Only eight perimeter players have ever won the award: Moncrief, Alvin Robertson, Michael Cooper, Michael Jordan, Gary Payton, Ron Artest, Kawhi Leonard, and Marcus Smart. Dikembe Mutombo, Ben Wallace, and Rudy Gobert have each won the award a record four times, while Dwight Howard is the only player to have won it three times consecutively.
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$39.99
The Lifetime Achievement Award
Lifetime achievement awards are given by various organizations to recognize outstanding contributions over a person's entire career. The NBA's Lifetime Achievement Award is one such award, honouring a player who has achieved extraordinary success both on and off the court.
The first recipient of the NBA Lifetime Achievement Award was Bill Russell, an 11-time NBA Champion with the Boston Celtics, who also received the Presidential Medal of Freedom and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. The award recognizes his remarkable career and impact on the sport.
In 2019, the award was shared between two players: Larry Bird and Magic Johnson. Both players had a significant impact on the NBA and joined Russell in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame prior to receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award.
The NBA Lifetime Achievement Award is an annual recognition of the hard work, dedication, and exceptional talent of basketball players. It celebrates their achievements within the sport and their positive influence beyond it. This award serves as a testament to the players' enduring legacy in the world of basketball and their impact on and off the court.
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Frequently asked questions
The Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy, named after the NBA commissioner who served from 1975 to 1984.
The trophy is two feet tall and made of 15.5 pounds of sterling silver and vermeil with a 24-karat gold overlay. The basketball on top is the same size as a real basketball. The trophy was designed by artist Victor Solomon and manufactured by Tiffany & Co.
For sponsorship reasons, the piece is called the Kia WNBA MVP Trophy. It was redesigned in 2023 by artist Victor Solomon and measures 16 inches in total.
