This unfortunate logo has many things going against it. Because it is a relocated franchise, it chose not to stick with the "Sonic" nickname in favour of starting from scratch. The name "Thunder" is disappointingly bland. If the best association one has of a city is inclement weather, it's a bad sign. And with this bad sign to draw from, the logo is just boring. It can't be called iconic, since it has neither the flare to be original or easily identifiable. It looks like a generic franchise template that could easily have the OKC initials replaced with any other city name and THUNDER replaced with any other nickname, or the former replaced with NBA and the latter with PLAYOFFS for a similar effect. Finally, any logo that has the New Jersey Nets' as its muse is in trouble.
4. Washington Wizards.
We like originality. The wiz who was tasked to create a logo for this team has done some things well: the stylised moon/basketball, the W emanating from below Gandalf's beard and the overall sense of motion all work well. However, the whole effect is ruined since one sees a not-so cryptic reference to Nazism in the form of a swastika in the Wizard's pose. Are we the only ones who are disturbed by this grand wizard?
3. Boston Celtics.
We don't like characters in logos. We don't like stereotypical ones especially (Native Americans have been the unfortunate victims of this logo crime many times over). The leprechaun Celtic chappy here is outdated and has no need for inclusion in the team's logo. The alternate logo, a simple shamrock fronting a green circle with CELTICS written above would qualify as a best NBA logo, but is ineligible as it does not fit are criteria since it is an alternate logo and not the primary one. The solution is tantalisingly close, but the problem remains stubbornly apparent.
2. Houston Rockets.
The Rockets first started off in San Diego and were named because of the local aerospace contracting industry. Moving to Houston, the name was appropriate and so it was kept. The reference has changed from rockets that kill Soviets, to ones that fly to outer space. When the logo was updated, though, one might think the somewhat violent connotations with Rockets have been revived. The Rocket blasting off as part of the R shows chutzpah, but the red streaming from the base of the letter looks more suited to a horror movie poster.
1. Toronto Raptors.
In the early 1990s, the marketing department for the newly formed Toronto expansion team chose to capitalise on the dinosaur boom created by the Jurassic Park films. In the first few seasons it paid off as numerous ten-year-olds bought Raptors merchandise of all kinds. Once the dust settled, and now a decade later, the clumsy looking cousin of barney with the cutesy high-tops is still around. We can live with the name Raptors, after time it has grown on us. The logo itself has failed in its execution and could do with some plastic surgery. Stylising the raptor by only showing its facial profile or claws is a start in the right direction. Removing the pointy teeth framing the Toronto at the top would also work wonders in toning things down. Transforming the logo from unwearable and ugly to vague and indistinguishable is not too much to ask for of an NBA logo.
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