DID YOU KNOW?

Did you know that the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy had a different name until 1984? Way back in 1947, the golden cup received by the victorious ball club was initially called the NBA Finals Trophy. Then, its name was changed to honor the late Walter A. Brown, who played a crucial role in the formation of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The championship award then received a makeover prior to the 1977 NBA Finals while retaining the name of the prestigious prize. The new design is a golden basketball over a hoop and a basket. In 1984, the hardware was renamed to what the basketball world currently knows as the Larry O' Brien Championship Trophy, in honor of the NBA commissioner who served the league and its myriad of fans from 1975 up to 1984.

The current edition of the prize awarded to the league winners stands two-feet tall and consists of 15.5 pounds of sterling silver and vermeil. Well-known jewelry manufacturer Tiffany & Co. creates the trophy, which also boasts of a magnificent 24-karat gold overlay. The list of notable champions includes the Boston Celtics, which hold the record for the most championships by a franchise at 17. Celtics legend Bill Russell is in the history books for the most NBA titles won by a player at 11, and for the most consecutive NBA Finals appearance by a player at 10. He was also the only player-coach who've won the coveted chip. His best games can be watched on basketball channels to watch the NBA Finals like NBA TV, among others. There are also various platforms to watch the NBA Finals online. Bill Russell can also be used as a player on NBA video games, specifically the NBA 2K and NBA Live.