While this year’s NBA season is in the record books, building your brand as an NBA franchise continues year-round around the clock. And as we noted in our NFL Logos Research, your team’s logo is vitally important, often having a major, but perhaps subtle impact on how fans will view your brand as an NBA franchise. To understand which NBA franchises have the most impactful brand marks, I recruited 5,599 fans, primarily from the community at r/nba, one of the most engaged NBA fan communities on the Internet, to participate in a MaxDiff market research study. The goal was to meaningfully rank every NBA logo in the minds of fans. This study was conducted similarly to our popular NFL Logos Research and our MLB Logos Research. Each respondent viewed 23 sets of four logos. In each set, he or she chose the logo they found to be most and least appealing. At the end of data collection, I applied a mathematical estimation procedure (Hierarchical Bayes) to derive the rankings.

Interpreting The Results

The MaxDiff scores for each team are indexed at 100. For example, the Chicago Bulls’ MaxDiff score of 145 means that logo was ranked 45% higher than the average team logo in this ranking exercise. It is important to note that these scores should not be interpreted as votes. See our explanation of MaxDiff if you would like more information. If you are on a mobile device and would like to see a larger view of the results displayed above, click here.

Who is in this research?

Most of the participants in this research are close followers of the NBA. When asked how closely they follow NBA basketball on a 1 to 5 scale with “5” being “extremely closely” and “1” being “not closely at all,” 45% chose a ‘5’ and another 38% chose a ‘4’. In other words, about 4 out of 5 respondents closely follow the NBA, which means that most of the people in this research had seen these logos before. It’s something to keep in mind when looking at the results. I was fortunate to receive a great deal of participation from all 30 fanbases of each NBA team. I seriously considered weighting the data so that each NBA fanbase was weighted equally, but when I compared the weighted and unweighted results, there was very few differences of any consequence. As a result, I have reported the unweighted results for the logo rankings.

Research Participants Give Their Opinion on Each Logo

In market research, data, facts, and figures can provide valuable insight into folks’ perceptions of things, but sometimes listening to respondents describe their feelings in their own words helps to understand the human element behind the quantitative results. That’s why in this research I gave respondents the option to give their open-ended opinions on a randomly selected NBA logo. They were asked to speculate where other fans would rank it as well as to give their own personal opinion about what they liked and did not like about it. For each team’s logo results below, I chose to include the responses that typified common sentiments about each logo. Unsurprisingly, not all fans have the same perceptions of each logo. For many of the logos, fans brought differing views to the table. In cases where multiple opinions were common, I tried to include at least one comment that encapsulated the dissenting opinions shared by some.

#30 LA Clippers “This should be ranked in the bottom half. While not aesthetically offensive, it’s boring. And the logo does nothing to invoke the original inspiration for the organization’s name; a Clipper Ship.” – Anonymous

“It puts too much emphasis on the name of the team with the symbol being a small after thought on top.” – Anonymous

“I would expect this to be one of the lower ranked logos. It’s not very visually striking. It looks like they wanted to go for a more simple bold design because the Clippers logo used to be this Lakers-wannabe looking thing with a fancier font, and they wanted to do something more different and “modern,” but I think in doing so, they just kind of ended up with a logo that has nothing exciting about it. The color is minimal. The design has nothing to do with the name of the team or the city. And the “LAC” thing on the top is confusing to read if the image is not that big.” – /u/rjr017 #29 Orlando Magic “I would put this in the bottom third. I think the logo does only a mediocre job of capturing the team name (just the sparkles in the ball’s trail) and does nothing for the location. This logo is basically block letters with a basketball and they added sparkles to indicate the team name in the logo.” – “Will”

“it just looks like a Disney team without the cool factor of the Mighty Ducks.” – “Alfredo”

“I like the ball and the stars but the font kills it for me. I’d say it’s in the bottom half.” – “Dylan”

“I’d placed this in the bottom half or bottom third. I don’t like the font; it feels kind of tacky. The general feel is kind of kid-like and Disney-like. I would like to see a more bold logo.” – “James” #28 Detroit Pistons “It’s a clear holdover in need of redesign. The bland look and the primary colours hint at a design half a century out of date. If it weren’t for the clashing red and blue tones it’d be a mostly inoffensive and forgettable logo.” – “Johan”

“Doesn’t really tell you much, if anything, about the team. I would call it bland and uninspiring. On the other hand, I can see it appealing to some fans because it is clean and not too busy. All in all a pretty inoffensive logo.” – /u/RyanMcBuckets

“Iconic look. Just a basketball with he name in good color scheme. Not too busy.” – /u/riptopsy #27 Oklahoma City Thunder “I am going to guess that the Thunder logo will be ranked in the bottom third. The lack of any actual clouds, lightning, etc. and use of just a basketball as the centerpiece of the logo certainly displeases me. Orange and blue is a fine combination, but the shade of blue that OKC uses does not work quite as well as a darker blue would. The diagonal stripes through the ball do not do much for me and seem misplaced. This looks too much like a generic Create-A-Team logo from NBA Live for my taste.” – /u/LauriBird15

“I think this logo will rank towards the bottom of this survey. While the colors strike a nice contrast, the lack of identity is where the Thunder logo struggles. Nothing communicates “Thunder” to the person viewing it. This logo is in a word – Uninspiring.” – Anonymous

“Bottom third. It’s just…bland. OKC relocated and played it safe with branding. Their colors have grown on me a little, but the logo has nothing to tie it to Oklahoma City or even Thunder.” – “Connor” #26 Phoenix Suns “I think this will be ranked in the bottom third. I just don’t really find this appealing in any way. It seems dated. It looks like something out of the 90’s. The overall shape of the logo is weird, and the only visual is a normal basketball that’s supposed to be on fire, I guess.” – /u/thesnacks

“Bottom third. The black background is boring, and although the colors are nice, the main logo in a box with the team name underneath just isn’t appealing.” – /u/remymanigold

“I don’t understand the parallelogram shape. The sun imagery is strong and the colors are eye-catching but it’s just crammed into this odd, slanted box and it really takes away all of the dynamic energy.” – “Mikey”

“Bottom 10, for sure. This logo could be cool – and it was in the 90s without the black ugly box and font. Black just looks bad in this. The purple they used to use was way better. Black reminds me of night, not of the sun. It clashes too much. Purple reminds me of a sunrise or sunset. I think I’d like it better if they varied the color in the rays given off by the ball a bit, too.” – /u/prikli NOTE FROM FANJUICER: I received quite a bit of feedback from Suns fans expressing that while this logo may nominally be the official one for the franchise, it is more of an experiment from a few seasons back that is no longer used in the team’s branding as frequently as other Phoenix Suns brand marks. In addition, I think a casual conversation with an average Suns fan (or frankly any NBA fan) will convince you that the Suns have other marks that are more identifiable as representing the franchise and are probably preferred to the current official logo by both Suns fans and non fans alike.

#25 Brooklyn Nets “The Nets logo falls flat to me. I’d expect it to fall in the bottom third of rankings, if only for its lack of creativity, color and meaningful design. It doesn’t seem significant to the team’s history or to their current presence.” – /u/JesyouJesmeJesus

“I believe this logo would be ranked right around the middle or upper lower-half of best NBA logos because it is very simple in an appealing way, but also doesn’t have many features about it that make it stand out. There’s no cultural reference (as far as I know) to Brooklyn in the logo, and the color scheme is as basic as it can get. I do like the logo; however, there are many more creative and colorful logos that would probably be ranked ahead of Brooklyn’s.” – Anonymous

“I suspect that the Brooklyn logo will end up in the middle of the pack in comparison to other NBA logos. It’s inoffensive with the black-and-white color scheme, basic shield shape, and simple typeface, but there’s nothing to set the logo apart or make it very memorable.” – /u/TheChosenJuan99

“I feel like this logo is not generally liked because of the lack of colors. Definitely bottom half in the league. I actually enjoy the color scheme for this logo because it is different. You don’t see many teams with this scheme, so I’m attracted to it.” – “Avery” #24 Dallas Mavericks “The Mavericks logo straddles the most recent designs and the busier aesthetics from the 90’s. I enjoy each individual element, especially the ball with the horse. I think if that was the entire logo it would have a chance at cracking the top ten, but unfortunately the background shield and the squeezed “Mavericks” word plate render the design too cluttered and hectic for me, dominating the much more visually appealing ball.” – Anonymous

“Mavericks fan since birth. Will try to be as unbiased as possible. Top half for sure. It’s not the generic circle logo with writing along the outside. It’s also not crazy with a bunch of edges to look sharp that don’t make any sense. It has a memorable font and an actual mascot built in. Checks all the boxes.” – /u/Lazmanian

“Middle of the pack. While the design isn’t as modern as say the Bucks logo, it is also a lot more detailed than most of the other teams’ boring circular logos.” – “Lucas”

“I think the colors mix well together, and the horse’s head demonstrates the team mascot cleanly and precisely. I liked the older one with the cowboy hat better, but this is a solid logo as well. People might dislike the small font of the city name and some might feel the color scheme is cold. There are better logos around, and there are much worse.” – /u/zamazingo

“This logo is quite distracting, as there is so much going on in this logo. Lines are moving in multiple directions in what looks like it could be two designs combined. This logo is definitely in the bottom half.” – “Alex”

“I think this logo will be in the bottom third. It seems like the logo wants to be clean and evocative, but there is a lot going on. There is the classic basketball behind the horse head but it is not visible enough. It just adds clutter to the design. There is a lot of emphasis lines and shadows that just seem excessive.” – “Joey” #23 Houston Rockets “Bottom half. I can’t really tell what the “R” is being styled to resemble. Like, there is a hoop around it but it has no net, and what is the “R” itself? Like is it blood on the wall in a horror movie, because that’s what it feels like.” – “Josh”

“The rocket launch that makes up the “R” is very clever, but the weird Chinese-inspired font is off-putting, especially since the team no longer has Yao. Most fans would probably put this in the bottom half, but not at the very bottom. Somewhere in the 18-23 range seems about right to me. I think only using red in the logo is a bad decision, and that the team should go back to red and yellow as the primary colors.” – /u/foxsleftear

“I think it’ll be around the #20 range. It doesn’t have a lot going on, but the “R” in the middle resembling a Rocket does enough to set it apart from worst logos. It’s just the name of the team with an R trying to be a rocket… it’s not that exciting or distinguished enough.” – “Jared”

“The red “R” is distinctive, and does look like a rocket, but isn’t particularly attractive or memorable. I’m not a big fan of the font used to spell out the city and team name.” – “Jim”

“The “R” in the middle clearly resembles a rocket, which harkens back to the team name itself. The consistent font and coloration across the logo help with symmetry also. The only problem I have with this logo is that it’s a bit too long and narrow. I prefer logos that are more circular in shape because they fit well on signage and apparel.” – /u/notoriou5_hig #22 San Antonio Spurs “I think The Spurs logo is going to be ranked in the bottom third. It’s a logo that has been around for a while. The font looks like it was made for an old digital alarm clock. It has no color, so I could see a lot of people ranking it low for that. I liked the fiesta colors in the 90’s – it’s like the Spurs sucked all of the fun out of that logo to match their boring style of winning basketball.” – “Night Ripple”

“It is simple. Which is good, because it doesnt make it bad. But, the simplicity hurts the originality in a way. Middle tier.” – /u/TheChokeMaster

“Very basic. Probably rated right in the middle of the pack. Nothing wrong with it, good font, color scheme, and the “Spur” is present, but nothing memorable otherwise.” – /u/wormholio

“I would say this logo ranks in the middle third of most people’s ranking’s. The reason being that it is clean and simple (good points), but at the same time plain and boring (bad points). Depends how you look at it, which to me says it is somewhere in the middle.” – “Tyler”

“This logo is very nice and simplistic with a good emphasis on the team name “Spurs”. I like that the logo has a shape of it’s own instead of the numerous circular logos across the league. The spur representing the “U” in Spurs is a nice touch. The only thing missing would be something basketball related” – /u/n4rcotix #21 Indiana Pacers “I think this logo will fall in the bottom half because it’s not very exciting. Unlike some of the other circular badge logos and shields, it’s central icon is … just a “P”.” – /u/feetandballs

“This logo will be in the bottom half or towards the middle. It’s a typical, boring round logo, but the “P” in the middle gives at least some character and the strips from the ball give a sense of movement. As far as the round logo goes, it’s pretty simple with easy-to-read lettering. The kerning of the letters seems like it leaves too much space though. The “Indiana” and “Pacers” words almost bleed into one.” – /u/theseus1234

“I hate the circular design, while the “P” in the middle looks pretty good. I think it should dominate the log more, as I don’t like having teams name written in a ring. I am going to assume this logo being somewhere in the bottom half.” – /u/helkijo

“Probably middle of the pack. The circle with the team name is clean, and the “P” itself is cool, but in general, it’s just meh. The two don’t really come together. The middle white circle is lack luster.” – Anonymous #20 LA Lakers “Bottom half. The serifed font is a little old fashioned. It is somewhat classic and I think ingrained in most people’s minds but overall is a little bit incohesive.” – @bbstats

“The iconic colors and mark of the Lakers will rank them pretty high, but i think the logo is boring and nothing special.” – Anonymous

“This is just a classic. I would rank this in the top half for sure. I’m not a Lakers fan at all, but the color scheme is like no other. The design is timeless and it screams Los Angeles to me. It’s old school, while being interesting and fresh at the same time.” – /u/theclownwithafrown

“This is an iconic logo. That being said, I think it feels a bit outdated. The text effect on “Lakers” is the only real extra detail involved.” – “Brett”

“This logo will probably be ranked in the top half due to its iconic nature, and also due to the appealing, complementary set of purple and yellow. However, the rest of the logo is boring. Nothing about the image (excluding color scheme) connects with the word “Lakers” or really the city of Los Angeles.” – /u/goat_motivation #19 New York Knicks “It will probably be ranked in the middle third. The font and perspective are nice, but the “New York” is far too small. The use of a plain and simple basketball is overused and boring.” – /u/stud_macha

“This is a fun logo. It plays with depth perception to give the illusion that one is “looking up” at the team name, implying the logo has a towering height. My best guess is that the “height” of the logo could be referencing the skyscrapers of Manhattan, although there are other interpretations as well. New York is seen as a basketball Mecca (figurative height). This logo also has a distinct 80’s/90’s look, which sets it apart from the modern logos that have been taking the NBA by storm lately. I value variety.” – /u/funktopus22

“I think the Knicks logo would rank somewhere in the middle. It’s a classic and recognizable logo, but not as appealing as others like the Timberwolves.” – Anonymous

“I predict that the Knicks logo will end up close to the middle-to-bottom half of the list. The logo doesn’t have a lot of identity at face value, and I think it doesn’t get the credit it deserves. Personally, I absolutely love this logo and I always have, even though I am definitely not a Knicks fan. While the logo doesn’t contain any New York imagery, I feel like it captures the vibe of the city in a 90’s, cartoonish and fun way. The towering block letters give a sense of grandeur, and the color scheme is fun but not overstated. The inverted triangle behind the logo works perfectly with the wordmark, and gives the whole package a strange balance while also seeming like it’s coming right at you like a Patrick Ewing dunk. I hope they keep this logo forever, and I hope more people out there appreciate it as much as I do.” – “Andy the Pistons fan” #18 Portland Trailblazers “I think this logo would rank near the middle. It’s a nice clean design and not too cluttered like some other logos, but the visual portion seems too small compared to the words and it’s unclear how the symbol is connected to the team.” – “Katie”

“Amazing logo – the only abstract logo in the league.” – Anonymous

“This will be rated around the middle of the pack. Fans will like that it has been consistent throughout the years. It is visually striking, but abstract. Many logos with animals tend to age poorly, but these shapes will not.” – /u/TNJ1

“The bold lettering with different font sizes catches the eye – particularly emphasizing the name of the city as opposed to the team name, which I think is the right call in this instance. While I am not familiar with the meaning behind the red and white graphic, it is iconic and timeless in its abstraction. The logo evokes thoughts of subtlety and balance – concepts that newer logos tend to trample.” – “Adam”

“I think this logo will rank in the top half, because it’s simple and aesthetically pleasing. The Trail Blazer swirl thing is weird and seemingly has nothing to do with trail blazing, which is why I love it for a city like Portland, but I’m not sure others will feel the same. That keeps me from putting it in the top third or fourth of rankings. As a purely personal opinion, I really like Portland’s logo. It’d probably be at least top third for me.” – /u/Almar89 #17 Sacramento Kings “Goes with the “round/basketball,” theme but differentiates itself in a cool way by incorporating the crown. It also incorporates text really well.” – Anonymous

“I really like the simplicity of the design. The depth of the crown is a nice touch. The grey basketball part on the bottom helps balance the purple of the logo. A great modern look for a classic basketball franchise.” – “Brett”

“Too basic. Nothing stands out about it. “Sacramento” is at least decently readable, but the font choice for “Kings” just doesn’t feel quite right and isn’t crisp. That vibrant purple doesn’t mesh well with that shade of gray either.” – “Mickey”

“I love that the top of the logo represents both the crown of a king and the mountains of California. The color scheme is also really dope to me.” – /u/Bilololololol

“I actually really like the lack of outlines and trim colors here. The two colors look really nice together, and the subtle 3D effect on the crown is really cool. Definitely a vast improvement over the last one.” – /u/Osiris47

“I think this logo is one of the more clever designs, graphically. The points of the crown non-overtly doubling as the Rocky Mountains allows the logo to express both “Kings” and “Sacramento” quite effortlessly. This is brilliant. Where the image fails is in both the colors and the typeface. The white / negative space is okay, especially because it makes the mountains more subtle, but the grey bottom deafens the whole image too much. Teams should be less afraid to let their colors pop. I’d like to see black in here. The font / typeface feels generic. There has been a movement to more generic, imageless logos in the last decade (Clippers, Nets, etc) away from the fan-loved playful pizazz of the 90s (Raptors, Hornets, Rockets, etc), and I think designers are striving for efficient line use (like the crown/mountains) but often end up with simple, boring and flat. Overall, I’d probably rate this higher than most. I don’t believe the basic design needs to change, just the colors (incorporate black and make purple more saturated) and the typeface should have a more regal feeling. Fans will probably put this in bottom half without thinking twice; I’d put it in the top third.” – @JoeyGeeWhiz #16 Washington Wizards “I think this logo is in the middle of the pack in the NBA. The design is clean and incorporates elements unique to Washington DC, but it doesn’t particularly stand out.” – Anonymous

“The color scheme is great, but overall, the design is a little too busy and doesn’t do much with a cool name like the wizards.” – Anonymous

“Top half. While a bit busy due to the stripes and stars the logo is unique in incorporating a basketball with the DC theme.” – Anonymous

“The colors are balanced well throughout the logo, and even though it’s another circular logo like the most of the other NBA logos, it manages to stand out with its subtle details like the star and its colors.” – Anonymous #15 Atlanta Hawks “The most interesting visual element in here is the usage of the hawk on the inner circle, which was from their original “pac-man” logo. The simple red and white combination was an improvement from their previous logo, which tried to combine dark blue and red together. Last but not least, the font that they used rounds up the logo nicely; having a strong, blocky feel is great.” – /u/TheExplorers

“I think this is a logo that should be in the top half according to design. It’s really clean and it doesn’t have too many colors.” – Anonymous

“I believe most people will put this logo in the top half of the logos presented, most likely based on the clean, simplistic aesthetic. It has a minimalist style with the “pac-man” hawk face on the inside, which many enjoy.” – “Nick”

““Top half. Great callback to the 70s & 80s Hawks, and maintains the popular circular logo that most teams are going for nowadays. Font is nice. Color scheme is alright, but I wish they incorporated more color, like their new jerseys; the new uniforms are fresh. I’d like to see a blue & green alternate logo like their 70s colors. This logo is way better than anything they had in the 90s and 00s.” – /u/Gekthegecko #14 Utah Jazz “I think this logo will be rated very highly – top half to third. I think the use of the musical note integrates perfectly with the rest of the logo in a clever way – and the basketball, color, and overall design give it a very clean look. My complaints would be it’s a little dry, and the lack of actual history between Utah and Jazz.” – “Matt”

“Probably lower part of the top half. The logo goes well with the name, but colors are a bit boring. Also the name and the place don’t fit.” – Anonymous

“I think it will be in the top third. It’s very clean and the colors work great together. I think fans won’t like that Utah doesn’t have anything to do with Jazz, but that’s not a reason to penalize how good the logo looks.” – Anonymous

“I personally think this logo should be in the top half. I like how the colors work together. It’s simple, but still creative. The “J” as a music note makes a huge difference between this logo being bad and being pretty solid to me.” – Anonymous #13 New Orleans Pelicans “Top half. I love the small features above New Orleans, as well as the font. They give a vibe of the city they represent. I am not a huge fan of the Pelicans team name, but this logo makes it work and ties it into the New Orleans vibe.” – /u/itsjib

“I love the color scheme (the gold and navy. . . actually work?) and the “Big Brass” sorta vibe it gives. It’s bold, but not cheesy or faux intimidating. I think it’ll be top ranked in the top half, probably in 10-15ish range.” – /u/identitycrisis56

“I would guess this would be ranked somewhere in the middle. It feels updated and modern, but there’s a lot going on with the feathers.” – /u/Azulix

“I’d guess this would be ranked around the 8-12 spot. I like that the font for New Orleans is all the same size and stylistically fits with the logo and with what I imagine the city style to be like as well. The colors go together well and the design is fairly modern.” – Anonymous

“I think this logo will be toward the middle of the pack. I like the incorporation of New Orleans motifs, but it’s a little too busy.” – “Daniel”

#12 Memphis Grizzlies “I would guess top half. The logo is simple and the bear itself is designed well. I like the subtle color change and how the eyes pop.” – /u/JulioVincitOmnia

“This logo is minimalist and has a smooth and calming color scheme but fails to show variety in color. Because of its symmetry and modern look, I would place it in the top third of NBA logos, but it’s not iconic or as quickly recognizable as some team logos.” – /u/ninjakrumz

“Middle third. It’s symmetrical in shape and relates well to the team nickname. The eyes really pop, and the subtle color makes it good for lots of applications. The font is too “hip,” especially the “M,” but the main reason it doesn’t get into the top third is that it doesn’t have anything basketball related.” – /u/quazi44

#11 Charlotte Hornets “The Hornets logo will probably be in the top half with a good possibility of it being in the top third. Many logos have the team name with a basketball that may or may not be within the team’s color scheme, which at times feel like a lazy attempt to make an NBA logo. The Hornets logo has a very modern look that embraces the team name and color scheme. The Hornet has an attacking pose and a very aggressive look. I love how the basketball is subtly a part of the Hornet’s abdomen where its stinger is connected, so it is not painfully obvious that it is an NBA team unless you look at the logo’s subtle details, and the basketball’s shape blends in nicely to make up the shape of the hornet.” – /u/mister_yakamoto

“I think people will like the bold, sharp lines on the wings, stinger, and spiked accents on the “H” and “S”. I could see this logo in the top half, potentially the top third.” – /u/gdwsk

“I believe this will be ranked in the top half. The logo holds together well. It feels like one piece of imagery as opposed to an amalgamation of separate elements.” – “Pete”

“I think the Hornets logo is definitely in the top ten of most fans’ favorites. It’s one of the sharpest logos, and I mean that literally. A lot of logos have soft edges and are rounded, while the Hornets logo represents the aggressiveness of the hornet through all the sharp corners. This sets the logo apart, since few other logos are of similar shapes. I also think the colors are unique and stand out among all the reds and blacks of other teams.” – Anonymous

#10 Miami Heat “Top half, but not the very top. The flaming ball is an undeniably cool concept, and logos about amorphous things like “heat” are more interesting than another animal head. However, the font and graphical style feel a bit dated without being classic.” – “Ben”

“It incorporates the team name well, depicts an interesting scene, and they chose interesting colors in red and orange. Personally, I feel like the NBA “circle logos” are played out, and I like logos that take a different approach.” – “Evan”

“I’d confidently say this will be ranked in the top half. I do like the they tie in the element of heat into the basketball and that they don’t go over the top trying to make it look 3-D. They keep it simple enough where it has an elegance to it.” – “Eric Jr.”

“I think this logo will be ranked in the top third. This logo’s greatest strength is how well it gives a visual to something that can’t actually be seen – heat. The combination of red and yellow is also very appealing.” – Anonymous

#9 Boston Celtics “Top third because it’s iconic. Other teams have rebranded, but the Celtics have remained stable.” – “Dustin”

“Top third. It’s a classic logo and is unique. There are too many logos with the circle badge with text around it, but I think that the Celtics logo works well because it has the mascot overlayed on top of the circle rather than cropped inside like so many others.” – /u/ponysuccess

“As much as I hate the Celtics as a Philly fan, they undoubtedly have one of the best logos in the league. From a design standpoint, it’s very pleasing to look at with the leprechaun smugly leaning on his stick as he spins the ball while the “Boston Celtics” font finishes out the edges of the logo. However, it’s a great logo for another reason too: the history that that logo represents – a history of winning and championships, which the Celtics are so well known for. The Celtics logo is representative of the team and their fans. They know they’re good, and their logo represents years of winning championships. That’s why the Celtics logo – as much as I hate the damn thing – is one of the best in the league.” – “Jordan”

“I hate the Celtics, but the logo is a timeless piece of NBA history and will likely be ranked very highly. The logo for the Celtics has remained unchanged for so long partly because of the historical aspect, but mostly because it just works. The green and white work extremely well together, and seeing that logo brings back memories of Bird and Russell for NBA fans.” – /u/SlothsMcgoo

#8 Cleveland Cavaliers “This would probably be one of the best rated, and rightly so, since it’s clean, easy to look at, and simple.” – /u/brandonasaur

“I would say top half. I think fans particularly like how it represents how LeBron stabs the Cavs fans through the heart with a dagger.” – /u/thebearsfan5434

“It’s a sleek letter “C”. The rapier through the middle looks pretty badass too. It’s a top half logo for sure with it’s cool, simple design.” – /u/one_third___

“Top third. I like the vertical nature of the logo and how skinny it is. It also gives a sense of depth with the sword going under the bottom half and over the top half of the “C”. – “Mickey”

“Probably top third for me – not the best but pretty good. Good mix of curves in the “C” and scabbard with the edges on the sword.” – Anonymous NOTE FROM FANJUICER: There was a bit of a mixup on my part. Technically, The Cavs “black shield” version is their official logo. I made a mistake because Cleveland uses their alternate logos like this one so frequently in their branding. It was an honest mistake on my part. Sincere apologies, Cavs fans.

#7 Golden State Warriors “I think this is a lock to be one of the top choices. It just works: clean, modern, and representative of the team’s home. The overall design takes inspiration from the classic “The City” look, but its merits stand even without that history. The bridge motif is a clear reference to the team’s home in the Bay. The typeface is refined and restrained, and the primary colors – a nod to California’s state colors – look great together. The peak of the bridge at the left side draws the eye, but the round background shape keeps the whole thing balanced. The only thing that might seem off are the differing text sizes for “Golden State” and “Warriors,” but they are spaced such that the left and right edges of each end in the same place, contributing an overall sense of symmetry.” – “Michael”

“Design is clean while incorporating a famous landmark that instantly signifies a connection to the Bay Area. Muted color scheme is easy on the eyes and identifiable with the home uniforms.” – /u/EnterTheDragic

“It’s a classic design highlighting one of the city’s most iconic landmarks and one of America’s great architectural achievements. The circular shape and off-center framing of the bridge make it particularly visually appealing. It’s also not too busy looking and the use of only two colors is a major plus.” – Anonymous

“The Warriors logo is visually appealing for its simplicity, the team’s popularity, and color scheme. The logo uses only two colors: the gold bridge is the focus with a blue background. However, the logo is “classy” for using what the city is known for, rather than a warrior character.” – /u/hexwolfman

#6 Chicago Bulls “I believe the Bulls logo will be ranked in the top 5 by the rest of the voters. To me it is the best one, and I think a big part of that is that it has never changed. For many, the logo invokes memories of Michael Jordan, who everybody likes. The bull very fierce.” – Anonymous

“I believe this logo will place in the top third of all logos ranked by other fans. It has a classic look that has remained unchanged for awhile, and obviously has some history associated with it that many fans will be fond of. The logo is simple, mean-looking, and has an appealing look on apparel and other accessories.” – /u/otters_creed

“The font used in the “Chicago Bulls” text is classic Americana, and the team logo is of course synonymous with MJ and the entire Air Jordan brand. The colors are beautiful. It also gives off a certain air of aggressiveness and competitiveness, which I think a good NBA logo needs.” – /u/Kayakular

“I think the logo will rank in the top third due to the history of the team and the sizable fanbase. However, the logo has an old feel to it, does not resemble a bull, and is completely two dimensional. The font is standard, and I think the look needs to be revived to signify a new era for the franchise.” – /u/greatportlandst

#5 Toronto Raptors “The claw marks incorporating into the basketball lines is a really clever use of negative space to give meaning to the logo. The font feels modern and fits the symmetry of the circle. Simple color scheme of black, white, grey, and red is well done making this a very versatile palette. I could see it being put anywhere and it’ll fit in. I would like to see something happen in the space between “Toronto” and “Raptors”. Feels empty. Top 10 NBA logo.” – MykoWuDesign

““I believe this logo will rank in the top third by fellow fans. The Toronto Raptors recently underwent a substantial rebranding effort that is in line with the like of teams such as the Bucks and Hawks. Some fans have appreciated these recent efforts by teams to modernize their logos, while others wish teams would have stuck with their more traditional roots. Personally, I have been a fan of most of these new rebranding efforts, particularly the Raptors. In my opinion, the Raptors have drastically improved upon their old logo, jerseys, and color schemes. By focusing on improved colors (black, red, silver, and white) and clever, sleek, and modern designs, I believe the Raptors successfully rebranded themselves.” – “Joel”

“It’s one of the few contemporary updates to the classic 90s version that doesn’t make it look like a freshman college design project.” – /u/pointbreakrules

#4 Philadelphia 76ers “The serif on the “Philadelphia” font is pleasing and the stars on the bottom half add a simple but appealing flair. All blue and white with the red “7” makes it pop. The “76ers” font in the middle is funky and fun without quite being comic sans.” – “Sam”

“The blues are quite muted; the logo has a pleasing but conservative look to it.” – Anonymous

“I believe this will be ranked in the top half. Being a graphic designer myself, I tend to appreciate very simple and clean logos with a definite favoritism towards “retro” or “vintage” looking logos. I think this checks all those boxes. It’s satisfying to look at, the red “7” really pops, and it uses the 13 stars cleverly.” – /u/dennishamburglar

“My expectation is that it will be ranked in the top half. It’s a legacy team with a retro logo, and I suspect those teams and logos have generally favorable associations. Personally I am fond of the logo as well. I think it’s tidy and classic, with an appropriate color scheme and a non-offensive roundness. Thankfully, they did away with the absolutely garish mid-aughts black and red.” – /u/Yekim50

“This is a top-5 logo. Listen, you’ve got to give these guys credit, Okay? There’s no wasted space, no excess, nothing is superfluous. It’s a circle, and circles are economical and very pleasant on the eyes. This one is especially well-contained. The contrast is great – bold blue on the outside with a beautiful, spacious white interior that allows the “76ers” to pop. The six stars along the bottom create incredible symmetry and really balance out the weighty “Philadelphia” scrawled along the top of the logo. This is a winner’s logo.” – “ZB”

#3 Denver Nuggets “Definitely a top half of the league logo. Vibrant in color but good contrast as well makes it nice to look at. Also incorporates a lot of things like the pickaxes, mountains, and basketball very concisely in one logo.” – /u/Bignova

“I like the symmetry of it. It’s a simple logo that actually has meaning related to Colorado’s history with the Gold Rush.” – Anonymous

“I’m not too sure where others would rank it, but I would probably put it in my top ten. Everything about this logo screams “DENVER NUGGETS.” The pickaxes are reminiscent of old gold miners. The snow-capped summit on the logo is remarkably Colorado-esque. The two pickaxes cross over a gold basketball. It is a logical logo that doesn’t need the name on it to see where it’s from.” – Anonymous

“At very worst I’d expect this to be ranked in the top third, but it’s my favorite logo of the bunch. I love the lack of text. It speaks for itself. The symmetry within the circular design, utilizing a twist on the classic coat of arms logo with the pickaxes, all makes for a simple, bold logo. The navy blue and gold also pair extremely well together, highlighted by white and dark red accents to avoid being too visually boring.” – Anonymous

“I really like this logo. The colors are fairly unique with regards to the league, but also make a lot of sense for the team. The simplicity of the logo gives it a neat look – enough detail to make sense but not too much to seem cluttered. The biggest issue I see is that an unfamiliar fan would probably not be able to identify it on first look. I would rate this logo in my top 5.” – /u/dell_arness2

#2 Minnesota Timberwolves “I think this logo will appear in the top 5. Most importantly, it contains the team mascot, which some logos do not. It is also a new logo, so it has a contemporary, clean design that I think people appreciate.” – /u/Larryless

“Top 5. Great use of the league-mandated basketball. It’s an intimidating logo, and they use their colors well. It’s not over the top flashy either. It’s a clean logo that could be used center court, on a jersey, or even a t-shirt.” – Anonymous

“I really like the lime green’s contrast with the rest of the colors. I like how the star in the background makes the basketball look like the sky and keeps the basketball subtle. The wolf is simple and easy to see without too many details and the angle with the wording makes it really look like it is howling into the sky.” – /u/songbirdy

“This is a well designed, modern logo. It should be ranked in the top 3rd of the league. It uses complimentary colors and a flowing design of simple, smooth lines. The key here is that it isn’t too busy. You immediately know what you’re looking at, and it doesn’t feel dated. The dated look only works with iconic teams like the Bulls because there is enough nostalgia to overlook what would be considered poor design by today’s standards.” – /u/myomyw

“The color pallete is very cold and muted. This is something that could be detrimental to some, but for Minnesota makes sense when I think of the state. The matching color of the eye to the star is also grabbing and the bright coloration makes it pop.” – “Parker”

#1 Milwaukee Bucks “I think this logo will be in the top half of the rankings. I am not sure know how high, because it is fairly new. The logo is clean and is probably my favorite out of all the logos shown. It is easy to read, and I like that the circle is not closed on the top. Half of the logos seem to be boring team names going around the outside of the circle with a logo in the middle (Raptors, Pacers, Celtics). This logo is also much more interesting than all the other logos with basketballs like the Lakers or Heat. That is kind of cliché, but it isn’t in this logo. And the Buck looks like he is gonna mess you up!” – Anonymous

“I think this will be ranked highly. This logo has the circular design that a lot of teams are using now, but the buck head with the sprouting antlers makes it stand. It is aesthetically and symmetrically pleasing.” – Anonymous

“Many of the NBA logos are simple, circular logos with the team icon inside, and any of the logos that break that mold strike the viewer right away. While the base of the Bucks logo is circular, the iconic deer grabs your attention right away. The buck looks strong, determined and fearless, a look that the team is likely going for.” – /u/SilverMagnum

“It is the perfect balance of simple and memorable. Not too simple like Detroit Pistons, nor too complicated like Pelicans or Hornets.” – /u/kongo9

“The circle formed by the logo is visually appealing as it cohesively centers everything. The fierce expression of the deer produces the desired competitive spirit and the muted colors don’t distract from the artwork. Finally, the incorporation of the basketball in the horns combined with the “M” in the deer’s neck are a great subtle creative touch.” – “Kyle C.”

“I think most people will rate this logo in the top 10. It’s a pretty recent redesign and it got a lot of attention and coverage. I remember a lot favorable reviews at the time and have never read any complaints. It also cleverly incorporates basketball elements (the ball in the horns) as well as the “M” for Milwaukee on the neck. I also like the circular design that keeps everything nice and clean.” – “Nate”



If you enjoyed this research, consider checking out our NFL Logos Research and our MLB Logos Research.



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