Why is the NBA Championship Trophy Called Larry O’Brien? Every Detail You Need to Know About League’s Ex-Commissioner

Every single soul in the NBA wishes for one day. The day, they can lift the Larry O’Brien trophy alongside their teammates after winning the Finals. The iconic trophy perfectly represented the sport with a simple yet strong idea. The design of a ball hanging on the rim. This trophy has experienced several memorable moments in the past. One of the main ones was Michael Jordan’s emotional moment when he rested his head on the trophy, in tears, after all the hustle.

And, similarly, the trophy has gotten global attention like none other. In contrast, every fan is aware of the trophy, but only a few know about the man behind its name. The trophy is named after Larry O’Brien, the NBA’s former commissioner. He took over the office in 1975 and was the 3rd commissioner of the league. He served until 1984. Soon after he stepped down, the league honored him by changing the trophy’s name from the Walter A. Brown Trophy to the Larry O’Brien Trophy. During O’Brien’s tenure, he took many important decisions for the league, which forever changed its dynamics. Before heading into the great man’s achievements, why not take a quick detour to learn more about his early life?

O’Brien was born into a political family in 1917 in Springfield. Interestingly, it is the same place that gave birth to basketball in 1891. He was the son of the Democratic Political Party’s local leader, which in turn facilitated his move into politics at a very young age. After completing his law degree, he eventually became one of the leading electoral strategists for campaigns. Notably, a certain John F. Kennedy appointed him as the director of his US Senate campaign in 1952. He later served in the same role after a thumping victory. So, through his political journey, he became a close associate of Kennedy.

Moreover, O’Brien was also part of the motorcade when the President was assassinated in 1963. About a decade later, he ventured into basketball, becoming the NBA commissioner in 1975.

Larry O’Brien and his achievements as NBA Commissioner

Larry O’Brien stepped into the front office in 1975 and made some of the important decisions that changed the league forever. Firstly, he propelled the merger of ABA and NBA in 1976. This move welcomed teams like Denver Nuggets, San Antonio Spurs, and several other teams into the league. That increased the team count from 18-23.

Importantly, he facilitated an additional rule in the game which Stephen Curry would be very happy about. O’Brien adopted the three-point field goal in 1979. The game’s dynamics drastically took a turn after that call. While it was an aggressive rim battle between tall men, the 3-point FG introduction gave rise to the sharpshooters.

Compared to the other professional leagues in the country, the NBA’s popularity wasn’t great. O’Brien sensed the need for expansion, looking at the overflowing arenas. He didn’t let that slide very easily, as he went on to crack the richest TV contract in 1982 to bring CBS television into the picture. Even then, the fans couldn’t witness the live coverage of the events, as CBS telecasted the delayed versions of the games. Eventually, CBS Sports became synonymous with the NBA Finals games.

Furthermore, he cared about the image that the league held in front of the American public. To substantiate it, he proposed the Anti-drug agreement in 1982, ensuring that the league and players would be far away from promoting the consumption of drugs.

He stepped down from the post after nine years in 1984. The league paid tribute to the great man by renaming its trophy to his name from the former owner of the Boston Celtics. The trophy held Brown’s name between 1964 and 1984 and before that, it was simply called the ‘NBA Finals Trophy’.

Larry O’Brien tweaked the regular cup design to the iconic ‘Ball and Rim’ model in 1977. Truly, a revolutionary in NBA history!

Larry O’Brien – The basketball Hall of Famer

On September 28, 1990, the legend breathed his last in Manhattan, New York after battling cancer. He was enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame at Springfield in 1991. O’Brien’s family picked Abe Pollin, a close friend and the owner of the Baltimore/Washington Bullets franchise to make the acceptance speech. Pollin developed a great bond with Larry O’Brien during his NBA Commissioner tenure. Speaking of his work, he said, “I must tell you, I’ve never witnessed a more skillful negotiator at work.”

The record-breaking television contract stood tall as the proof. He further continued, “He was always the same… Completely fair, tough, and persistent. He never quit.” On the other hand, John Nucatola, a former player, who was part of O’Brien’s NBA front office, also shared his experience working with him. Nucatola added, “He was an active commissioner. He had a great perspective. The ‘Freeman’ concept of basketball became finally a reality.”

By now, you will have a clear understanding of the reason behind naming the NBA Finals Trophy in Larry O’Brien’s name.

Stay tuned for more such updates, and to follow in what Shaq’s ex-agent, Leonard Armato, had to say about the marketing genius. Watch this video.