Larry Bird v. Magic Johnson Continues in Tiffany's New NBA Trophies
Tiffany & Co., the de-facto handcrafted trophy manufacturer, isn't opposed to a little change. Far from it, in fact: Tiffany's Larry O’Brien Trophy, awarded to winners of the NBA championship, is getting a facelift for 2020 and the new design will be accompanied by prizes that salute NBA legends Larry Bird & Magic Johnson.
For 45 years, Tiffany has manufactured trophies for the NBA, focusing on the Larry O’Brien Trophy since 2001 and Bill Russell Trophy — for the NBA Finals MVP — since 2005.
So it's high time that the prizes got a contemporary facelift, courtesy of Tiffany and guest artist Victor Solomon, of Literally Balling fame.
First up, the Larry O’Brien Trophy has been transformed into a 25.5''-tall statue weighing 30 pounds, fitted with 24k gold vermeil and sterling silver.
The ball at the top of the trophy leans forward, "symbolizing the league looking ahead to its future," according to Tiffany, and the discs at the base offer enough room to host the name of each winning NBA team and the future 25 champs, leading up to the NBA's 100th anniversary in 2046 (which feels like forever from now but will be here before you know it).
Like the Larry O’Brien Trophy, the Bill Russell Trophy sports a gilded (and glamourous) basketball atop its peak, reflecting Solomon's predilection for the perfect sphere that is a basketball.
Weighing 11 lb at 17.25'' tall, it's a worthy partner to the NBA's ultimate award.
Tiffany & Co. and Solomon also reconfigured the Bob Cousy Trophy and Oscar Robertson Trophies, each awarded to the Eastern Conference and Western Conference champions, respectively.
But the main event this time around is the introduction of two new trophies, dedicated to Larry Bird and Magic Johnson and bequeathed to the Eastern and Western Conference Finals MVPs, respectively.
Each trophy is replete with a fine silver basketball that is Solomon's signature, and draped in a gold base etched with a basketball net pattern.
In statements, both Bird and Johnson said they were "honored" to have trophies in their names, because who wouldn't?
And, of course, Bird and Johnson are perfect candidates for setting the tone of two new NBA trophies.
Bird, a legendary small forward, and Johnson, the position-defining point guard, were both on the '92 Olympic "Dream Team" and arch-rivals for decades, though their relationship has softened in the intervening years (hey, they're in their 60s now).
Beyond the trophies, Tiffany has a long legacy of working with the NBA but is also keen on refreshing the way it relates to the game.
Recently, it created a limited edition basketball with Daniel Arsham, for instance, speaking to Tiffany's refreshed approach to more youthful activations under Alexandre Arnault.
