The designer originally presented more than 15 hand-drawn sketches to the league, including concepts incorporating the Empire State Building.
"But in the end, they, they nixed it. No pun intended," said Michael Doret, Designer.
The league ultimately selected a layout featuring block typography over a triangular backdrop and a basketball.
"It's almost like a subconscious thing that I kind of follow," said Michael Doret, Designer.
Josh Hart's Family Foundation
The ongoing championship series has galvanized the local community and player families alike.
Knicks guard Josh Hart, who has brought defensive resilience to the finals, credited his upbringing in Silver Spring, Maryland, for his athletic mindset.
"He didn't want me to be someone who gave up, or quit," recalled Josh Hart, Guard.
His father, Moses Hart, worked as a professional chef, while his mother, Pat Hart, worked as a waitress to support the family through financial hardships, including a devastating house fire when Josh was 15 years old.
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"And it was all because I had the body language of giving up. That was the kind of person, and father, he was and is.
And it helped me establish that never-give-up mentality," recalled Josh Hart, Guard.
The family baseline of perseverance helped push Hart toward achieving the rank of Eagle Scout before pursuing his professional basketball career.
"I told him, 'I don't care if you're losing by 20 points — you go all out. You continue to play hard.