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Individual accolades such as the Most Valuable Player and Defensive Player of the Year are all great awards to have. However, being the MVP doesn’t equate to being a champion. The ultimate goal of any NBA player is to get a hold of the prestigious Larry O’Brien trophy.
Larry O’Brien trophy
The NBA Championship trophy is one of the most iconic trophies in sport. This stunning trophy strikes differently from other trophies with its gold vermeil finish.
Let’s take a deeper dive into the details of the O’Brien trophy.
Why is it called the Larry O’Brien trophy?
In 1964, the NBA Championship trophy was called the Walter A. Brown trophy to honor the Boston Celtics founder. Brown was key in merging the BAA and National Basketball League into the NBA in 1949.
After two decades, the NBA decided to rename it the Larry O’Brien trophy to honor O’Brien’s impact on the world of basketball.
O’Brien was the NBA’s third commissioner. He played a vital role in expanding the league from 18 to 23 teams, coordinating the NBA-ABA merger, and negotiating highly-profitable TV contracts. He also spearheaded the adoption of the three-point line, salary cap, and the NBA’s anti-drug agreement.
How much is the NBA Finals trophy worth?
The NBA Finals trophy is one of the most expensive trophies in sports history.
The Larry O’Brien trophy costs $13,500 for Tiffany & Co. to create one for the winning team every year.
What size is the NBA Championship trophy?
The NBA Championship trophy is made by Tiffany & Co. each year at their workshop in Cumberland, Rhode Island. They have been manufacturing it for the NBA since 1977.
The trophy’s design resembles a basketball about to enter a basket. It’s made from 15.5 pounds of sterling silver with a 24 karat gold vermeil finish, which takes six months to create. The Larry O’Brien trophy’s size is 24 inches tall and weighs 16 pounds.
The year and winning team names are engraved on the trophy, but only after the final game. The champion team will give back the trophy to Tiffany & Co. so they can engrave the year and the team’s name.
After the engraving process, the team and its players get a chance to display the trophy in different places, as seen on victory parades. Once done, the trophy is displayed in the arena of the winning franchise.
Who keeps the NBA Championship trophy?
The NBA Finals winner is the one who keeps the trophy in their respective arenas permanently.
This is the same with the Commissioner’s Trophy of the MLB and Vince Lombardi trophy of the NFL.
Previous winners of the Larry O’Brien trophy
There are a plethora of NBA franchises that have at least won one O’Brien trophy since its inauguration in 1977.
The Los Angeles Lakers hold the most championship titles with 11, the Chicago Bulls come second with six, and the San Antonio Spurs come third with five.
Here’s the full list of the teams that have won the NBA Finals since 1950. The list below only covers the winners of the O’Brien trophy since its inception in 1977:
1977 – Portland Trail Blazers
1978 – Washington Bullets
1979 – Seattle SuperSonics
1980 – Los Angeles Lakers
1981 – Boston Celtics
1982 – Los Angeles Lakers
1983 – Philadelphia 76ers
1984 – Boston Celtics
1985 – Los Angeles Lakers
1986 – Boston Celtics
1987 – Los Angeles Lakers
1988 – Los Angeles Lakers
1989 – Detroit Pistons
1990 – Detroit Pistons
1991 – Chicago Bulls
1992 – Chicago Bulls
1993 – Chicago Bulls
1994 – Houston Rockets
1995 – Houston Rockets
1996 – Chicago Bulls
1997 – Chicago Bulls
1998 – Chicago Bulls
1999 – San Antonio Spurs
2000 – Los Angeles Lakers
2001 – Los Angeles Lakers
2002 – Los Angeles Lakers
2003 – San Antonio Spurs
2004 – Detroit Pistons
2005 – San Antonio Spurs
2006 – Miami Heat
2007 – San Antonio Spurs
2008 – Boston Celtics
2009 – Los Angeles Lakers
2010 – Los Angeles Lakers
2011 – Dallas Mavericks
2012 – Miami Heat
2013 – Miami Heat
2014 – San Antonio Spurs
2015 – Golden State Warriors
2016 – Cleveland Cavaliers
2017 – Golden State Warriors
2018 – Golden State Warriors
2019 – Toronto Raptors
2020 – Los Angeles Lakers
2021 – Milwaukee Bucks
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