NBA commissioner Adam Silver. Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

NBA makes change after 2025 NBA Finals blowback

By Eric Smithling | Last updated Oct 22, 2025 3:59 PM ET

When the 2026 NBA Finals tips off, it will actually look like it.

On Wednesday, ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania reported that the league will paint a large rendering of the Larry O'Brien Trophy at mid-court for the first time in over a decade and a year after receiving blowback for the presentation of the 2025 NBA Finals.

NBA Finals court redesign a welcome development after last season's flop

Last season, the NBA drew widespread criticism for messily imposing two smaller, digital Larry O'Brien Trophies onto the court during Game 2 of the finals between Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder, which the Thunder won in seven games.

got bullied into putting digital larry o’briens out there. pic.twitter.com/4M0mqKDwa0
— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) June 9, 2025

It was a bad look for a massive, billion-dollar sports league to treat its championship series as anything less than a premier event. But the NBA deserves a dose of credit for not doubling down on a bad idea and instead making a logical change.

As Charania noted, the 2026 Finals will mark the first time since 2009 that the Larry O'Brien Trophy will be printed on mid-court. He also revealed the league will use the Finals script font on the finalists' home court, which the NBA hasn't done since the 2014 Spurs-Heat finals.

The NBA will return to painting the Larry O'Brien trophy at center court and Finals script logo on the home team's floor for the Finals starting this season, per sources. The last time the large trophy was painted on court was 2009. pic.twitter.com/QsFOTFZCSa
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 22, 2025

The decision is a small gesture that goes a long way to adding gravitas to the NBA Finals. For too long, the league didn't give the championship series the care it deserves. Not anymore.

Eric Smithling

Eric Smithling is a writer based in New Orleans, LA, whose byline also appears on Athlon Sports. He has been with Yardbarker since September 2022, primarily covering the NFL and college football, but also the NBA, WNBA, men’s and women’s college basketball, NHL, tennis and golf. He holds a film studies degree from the University of New Orleans

More must-reads: