Recommended reading : Fox Sports’ David Davis on the NBA’s continued insistence that the league’s logo is not based on Jerry West. (link culled from Henry Abbot’s consistently swipe-worthy TrueHoop) This, despite an open admission from the logo’s designer, Alan Siegal, that the classic photograph of West (above, right) was the direct inspiration. There’s also some debate about whether or not the logo should be revised.
Said designer Siegel: “I wouldn’t change it. I wouldn’t try to modernize it. I wouldn’t put longer pants on it. It’s an iconic symbol that represents a classic presentation of basketball.”
West says, “It doesn’t bother me at all (if the NBA updates the logo). But there’s so many great players that have played over the years ” Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Michael Jordan. I don’t know how they (could) decide.”
Lakers forward Lamar Odom believes that “some things are meant to stay the same. Yet, there’s always time for change. If you want to put someone on a logo, as far as the impact and what they’ve done in the league, there’s probably only one person you should put on that logo: Michael Jordan.”
But a quipping Phil Jackson said, “Update it to what? A guy carrying the ball instead of dribbling the basketball?”