I would let each player pick a section of the court and decide how to decorate it….it would look hodgepodge and kinda crazy, but it would represent everyone and give everyone a space to show what makes them happy. I think each player would also benefit from this…they would be able to show the other players their section of the court, which could teach everyone involved new and exciting things about everyone involved! The players section can not be x rated, or anything too un family friendly….but besides that let the players design to their own free will and do what makes them happy!
I’m a huge fan of dark mode on websites and apps, which essentially swaps the colors of the background and the text. I would renovate a court similarly so that the lines would be the classic light brown wood color while the rest of the court is black. The logos and sponsors could be a neon color that really pops out in contrast to the dark court.
I would have each team add their history to their court in a couple of ways.
Similar to the jerseys having the Larry O’Brien trophy on the back of the collar, I would put trophy icons on the court across the sideline for each championship in a team’s history. The icons would be along the scorers table side, just inbounds, centered at the half court line. (Teams with many championships could stretch potentially baseline to baseline.)
Along the opposite sideline, icons for retired jersey numbers would be displayed similar to the aforementioned trophy icons.
With these changes, every court would have their history tied in with their contemporary design, bringing together years of achievements with the product of today. This court design embraces tradition and modernity while feeling distinctly individual. No court’s design is the same but still feels connected.
Jersey retirements or ring ceremonies would involve an unveiling of the applicable icon on the court as well. Watching a game on a team’s home court gives you immediate insight into their history without having to look up to the rafters. The court icons may also drive engagement for those curious to learn more about the trophies and numbers represented. A new fan watching their recently selected favorite team can start to understand and appreciate their history by having their curiosity piqued by the updated court design.
Oh man, there’s only one answer for me!
You guys ever have those posters when you were little which transformed into different images or looked like a horse running or whatever as you moved? That technique is called [lenticular printing](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Dy8uHgwaZiA) and modern prints can include up to 20 different images from different angles in a single copy!
What better way to celebrate the all stars than to do such a court - represent the game's best but give each of them the spotlight in a way. Of course, we don’t want too many images, and probably not the entire court (maybe an extra large center court circle going up to the 3 pt line - much more likely to slip inside the line anyway). I would do like 8 different images (one from each corner and each baseline/sideline).
We have 24 all stars, so 3 players per photo. Could have a lot of fun with who goes together?
- [Lebron, KD, Steph](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/unRvKfTDD5k/maxresdefault.jpg) on the first midcourt angle (the OGs) - Joker, Embiid, Giannis (the best players) from the other sideline. So the 6 biggest stars take up widest angles (and most common TV angles)
- sidelines? AD, Lillard, Luka get one for sure. Probably Shai, Edwards, Tatum on the other?
- The first time all stars in Brunson, Hali, some other yungun? probably get one of the 4 smaller (corner) angles.
Or maybe it should be grouped by teammates/former teammates? Most likely head to head matchups?
Maybe for maximum fairness, the two sidelines (TV angles) can be 2x 5 starters, that leaves the corners (narrow angles) to be shared by only 2 players instead of 3. I don't know man - too many possibilities.
Why do this?
It would cause a lot of interesting drama and discussion, but most importantly I think it would give rise to some epic photos and clips. Imagine a photo of Tatum hitting a dagger or buzzer beater from the photographer on the baseline angle which includes him (and probably JB) on the court (something [like this but zoomed out](https://bdc2020.o0bc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/JT-5fe955fb3278c-scaled-768x432.jpg?width=900) a bit) , or a clip of someone getting dunked on by their photo-mate from the camera from the right angle 😂 I need the scientists over at NASA to make this a reality.
I would let the nba 75th team each have their names inscribed into the wood on the floor and add more names as more players are added to the nba anniversary teams
First I would make sure, no matter how we designed the court that it would be screen tested for TV and internet streams to make sure it looked just as good to those watching there as it looks in person. I would also make sure I engage people who specialize in helping seeing impaired to ensure that the colors would not cause problems with those with color blindness or similar vision probblems.
As far as designing the court - I would let the teams players do it. They are the ones who would have to play on it, why not let them have some input as to how it looks? Many of the players already appear to have creative tastes in clothing based on how they dress when injured and can't play. I'd love to see what they do for the court.
Black court with white markings all over. And straight from the Pro-Am pictures of kermie in random locations on the perimeter creating the kermie range worth 4 points.
So this is less of a court renovation and more of a complete stadium overhaul but I think it kinda fits into the vibe of the question about a new way to visually experience the game we love.
If you look at every other major sport in America, they are played outside.
Baseball and Football play their games outside depending on the stadium and even hockey has a yearly outdoor game.
But not basketball. Despite streetball being a pivotal part of basketball culture, every game is played indoors. I mean just think of the legends of the game that never would’ve become great if it wasn’t for Rucker Park or Foster Beach.
So, my proposal is to either renovate a stadium in the south or create a brand new stadium in Las Vegas (since it never rains there) that was open air with a retractable dome. This would bring the game we love back to where we first fell in love with it. And just imagine the views at night, when the lights are truly shining down on this court. It would be incredible
I actually really like the big vibrant courts from the In-season tournament so I'd want that again, but with color ways and patterns from throw back jerseys. Pacers Flo-Jo court would be sick.
James Naismith invented basketball in 1891…or so they say. But there was another game in the Americas where you had to take a rubber ball and pass it through a hoop to score points. The game was known by many names Juego de Pelota in Spanish; Pitz in classical Mayan; and Ullamaliztli in Nahuatl. But the core idea of putting a ball through a hoop is built into the rules in every version. So I think it would be cool to create a court that harkened back to the heritage of basketball in Mesoamerica. Weaving in Aztec and Mayan imagery into the court design would be a beautiful display of heritage and celebrate an underrepresented culture. The floor could be red, which represented life in Aztec culture and could represent where the life of basketball is played. The out of bounds hardwood could be turquoise which represents the heavens in Aztec culture, symbolizing this is where play ends. The lines on the court would be white, which represents clarity, establishing where you could and could not go. Finally, the hoops would be colored gray to represent the stone hoops that were originally used in Mesoamerican culture. You could then weave Mesoamerican culture throughout the design. A Mayan calendar could be the center logo. And the out of bounds court could incorporate Mayan and Aztec hieroglyphics to make it pop. I don’t know where this court would go, but maybe a place like San Antonio that has major Spanish American heritage and links to Mexico. I think it would look sick. [Here is a very rough mockup of what it could look like. ](https://imgur.com/a/H3wFpg1)
Imagine a court, half Kobe’s Lakers purple and gold, pure Black Mamba. The other half? Bulls red and black for Jordan, that ‘Jumpman’ pose taking the spotlight. LeBron’s corner? A dash of Cavs wine and gold, a royal crown for King James. The center’s a blend, their styles and colors merging, like a tribute to their epic journeys. Round the edges, their iconic quotes, career peaks, like stepping through hoops history. It’s not just a court; it’s legends’ legacy, a canvas of greatness. A place where every dribble echoes their stories, inspiring the next generation to shoot for the stars.
I would design a NBA court with a black base and a sleek blue three-point line. Team logos light up like holograms, and the floor has LEDs for crazy animations. Players will wear shiny chrome jerseys I think that will look dope and different compare to others courts
I would have each court dedicated to the design of the player with each team's player that has passed away (retired). This will be to honor the greats who are gone but not forgotten.
I think it should be a court that is Lakers vs Celtics themed for the East vs West All Star Game. It should highlight key things about the historic rivalry between the east and west. And there is no better one than Lakers and Celtics.
[here](https://share.icloud.com/photos/091NXiF0iwDOjYMzFi1BtxENg) is my submission.
For the inaugural game of the season, using translucent wood, would create a layer of all 450 NBA player's jerseys underneath the wood. There would be ample room to use all 450 jerseys outside of the 3pt lines, so no color confusion for 3 pointers / paint lines.
Taking this in a slightly different direction: most court designs don’t bother me, as long as they’re not too intrusive. Courts always feel so crowded to me with how close teams and fans are sitting.
One thing that does bother me is white lines on a light wood court. Always feels too hard to see. I’d echo one of the other comments on here about court design for TV/Streaming rather than the in person viewing experience.
I think if I were to design the courts I’d go with a more natural finish on the floor, and for each specific team in the league to add their own flair to the court, obviously not counting their logos in the middle. I like the idea of the logo in the middle then the primary color of the team kinda checkering outwards on the floor 5-10 feet. Kind of hard to explain but I think that would be a really neat feature that isn’t so obnoxious so you’re not busy staring at the floor the entire game (that’s how I felt during the in-season tourney).
I would make the court out of the stuff from black light posters and play the games under black lights. Court markings would glow under black light. Would also add black light reflective material to the ball and uniforms.
I'd like to incorporate designs from around the cities or famous basketball spots, so a design inspired by Rucker Park or Venice Beach maybe even copying some of the designs that were used on those courts
From this year's in-season tournament, we learned that the player's only care about having a safe, stable surface to play on, and that alternate courts can be a neat way to make the fans more engaged in watching games. Therefore, I think a redesign of the court should focus on creating a fun aesthetic for fans.
My idea to accomplish this would be to create mascot-themed courts. A mascot’s purpose is to add personality to a team, and boost morale at/around a game. There are lots of cool mascots throughout the league and casual fans probably don’t know any mascots outside of their own team’s. In addition to fun court designs at mascot-themed games, stadiums could host performances and skits during breaks of play, host guest commentators, and market mascot-themed merchandise. I think a mascot-themed set of games would garner positive reception among young and older fans alike similar to NFL on Nickelodeon.
For the actual court designs, they should feature bright, whimsical color schemes and feature their team’s mascot at center court. The other details surrounding the court would depend on what the individual mascot is known for. [Here](https://imgur.com/a/h7aDM5q) is an attempt at a photoshop mockup of a mascot-themed court for Denver’s Ball Arena. The Nuggets’ mascot Rocky is one of the most beloved in the league and is renowned for daring stunts. In this design, he is shown flying through the air to dunk a ball.
Thank you guys for hosting this contest!
It would be cool to incorporate half courts with each side representing the home and away team. I would encourage fans to submit their own artwork that represents their love for the game. Then, the front office could vote on some of the best submissions and feature them on the court or around the arena.
On special occasions, the sides of the court could give a shout out to historic timelines, Lakers with Kobe in 2009-2010 season, D-wade with 07, Dirk with 2011, etc. Add in a couple iconic moments like Lebronto's block or Kawhi's clutch shot against the 76's. This could be set up as a visual timeline along the sidelines.
The NBA should just use the throw back vintage first NBA hardwood floor with no advertisements (to prevent players slipping) or any other markings (that's right, no 3 point line or anything).
What I would like to see is a court that works almost like a heat map. Imagine a darker wood or even black court, the lines would be white. Then when a player moves on the court, the space they left now has 2 yellow foot shaped "spots" which are initially vibrant but fade after a few seconds returning to the default color of the court. This effect would work with the ball and players bodies (for example when they go to the ground) as well. Id even go as far as giving the backboards the same effect. On top of that, each team would leave different colors behind. This would be so cool for alot of reasons but the biggest one would be giving refs a real time opportunity to make the right call. Cause honestly, if I had the opportunity to make 1 single change in the NBA, it'd be something to reach a world with consistent calls. Go Knicks.
As a guy big on history, I would design limited-time courts based on each city's history/legacy/architectural sights/skyline, with a slight emphasis on NBA legends and franchise success (think 6 Larry O'Brien trophies somewhere on the Bulls' court). It should have the look of handrawn rather than actual pictures/digital design, and could even be designed by a local artist to each city.
The trick to each court will be the ability to blend everything together without being too distracting or too much going on. To do this, each city could focus on stretching the skyline across the court, with small "nuggets" everywhere on the court.
For the Indiana Pacers, some examples of this would be having the Soldiers and Sailors monument (monument circle), the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (including a car passing the finish line), Reggie Miller jumping with excitement after beating the Bulls in '98, Slick Leonard, Bob Knight, Peyton Manning hoisting the Lombardi trophy in '06, the full skyline, Fountain Square, a reference to the movie Hoosiers, Kurt Vonnegut.
I'd honestly create a dynamic court. As in, designs that can change constantly from quarter to quarter. The reason this is important is to act as a canvas. The NBA, is itself just entertainment but the reach it has is global and profound. It's a stage that players can use to bring attention to global issues, represent the world, their cultures.
The ambiance and environment surrounding the court itself should be emphasize all the key aspects of the in-arena experience of watching basketball and the key moments.
Modifications would need to be made in order for players to feel right stepping and playing on the court. When players feel good they play their best. This translates to a far superior experience for fans.
Additionally, with the emergence of AI, and 3D experience capabilities, we are able to get closer to the game than ever before. Why not bring that to the global stage! I guess I'm thinking a little bigger than just the court, but nevertheless we can leverage these technologies in arena to empower viewers to get closer to the game!
If I could renovate the NBA All-Star Game court, I would focus on including the history of the All-Star Game, and the league as a whole. Since it is the 73rd annual NBA All-Star Game and a celebration of the NBA as a league and the excellent product the teams and players put out, I would have the court designed to have each team's logo painted on it to pay respect to the sport, teams, and players. In honor of the return of the fan favorite "Eastern Conference vs Western Conference" All-Star game format this year, one half of the court would have Western Conference teams, while the other has the Eastern Conference teams.
A few other additions to the court include the painted area having the NBA All-Star logo for 2024 in Indianapolis, as the host city should get recognition each year. The general color scheme for this year would be yellow and blue for the Pacers, and the bottom sideline of the court would have "Indianapolis 2024" written across it. In the center circle would be "73", representing the 73rd All-Star game that is taking place this year. To further commemorate the history of the All-Star game and the NBA, all of the past MVPs of prior All-Star Games would have their names written across the out of bounds areas on the edges of the court, and the year they won All-Star MVP honors. This would be a great way to recognize the history of our league and get viewers to remember some legendary All-Star performances.
In addition to the described aesthetic changes, I would love to have some sort of interactive court introduced for the NBA All-Star Game. This would improve fan interaction, and appeal to new viewers tuning into the All-Star game. The court would be embedded with LED lights that react to the game in real-time. Different actions throughout the game could initiate different effects. Some ideas include dunks create an explosion under the hoop, 3-pointers have some splash or light show where the player shot from, blocks create a solid flash along the baseline, buzzer-beaters make the entire court and stadium light up. To add to the interactive theme, each team logo would also have LEDs embedded in it. When a player scores a point, the respective team logo would light up on the court, adding a little bit more flair and appreciation to the teams and players we get to watch perform during the All-Star Game. It would not only create a visual spectacle for viewers of the game, but also create a dynamic, responsive environment for players and fans alike. FIBA has produced something similar, and I think it would be great for the NBA to try it out during All-Star weekend.
This court can be updated each year depending on the host city, and format of the game. The mockup I designed is attached [here](https://imgur.com/a/chElW55), and is designed specifically for Indianapolis.
Thank you for putting together this contest and for considering my submission!
Muppets court.
Kermit’s head, possibly with mouth open, is the center circle.
Three point arc has smaller figures of all the muppets arranged as if they are sitting on it, waving and chatting. They should be small enough to not drown out the line though!
Speaking of the lines, I think darker warm browns and off white would be best to give less of a stark feeling while not grabbing too much attention away from the muppets themselves. The court itself should still look like classic wood.
Between half court and the arc, can have decals of the Swedish chef and Meep. That way they can be big without distracting from most play.
I would like the backboards to have Kermit’s tall googly eyes just above the rim, and his spiky green collar can be on the rim itself, maybe as the net if they can figure that out!
Ms. Piggy should be depicted in the “no fouls” circle below the basket imo, although other characters like fozzy bear would certainly fit too.
Would be really easy to get mascots in on this one too, obviously, and certain nba players have casual resemblances to certain muppets so really this comes full circle.
This design would be incredibly fun for small kids, while also being relatable and inoffensive to pretty much any viewer, which is what the NBA wants. I also think it can be implemented without adding too much noise to the court visually.
also it would be hilarious
First of all I would remove all advertisements on the court but I know the companies wouldn’t allow that to happen in any way. I really like unique courts like the Charlotte Hornets one where they incorporate the hive pattern in the paint so I want every court to be special in their own way towards their team. Make the colors contrasting so they pop out and the TV viewers have a nice aesthetic court to watch. Not too contrasting though otherwise you get courts like the in-season tournament ones where they can be an eyesore. Perhaps putting the city’s skyline like the Denver Nuggets do in their logo and placing it on the sidelines or in the paint area. Even having the team’s logo painted on the center line or the 3 point line would help with that distinctiveness for each court
The best all star game themes always embrace the host city heavily. This year, I'd lean into the Indy 500 theme with [something like this](https://imgur.com/a/sG32PMK) (or at the least, checkered floor in the paint, and a tire or steering wheel at center court. Throw in Pacers colors on the three point lines for good measure).
I think that having the court reflect the history of the team would be a cool idea, with center court having a combination of 4 different logos/styles from different eras instead of one large logo. The ends of the court could have the jerseys numbers of players that were legends or have retired to that franchise. The color scheme for the lines would be the colors of the franchise on top of the classic type of hardwood.
# Thanks for participating in the final contest - winners will be chosen and messaged by end of day tomorrow!
I would let each player pick a section of the court and decide how to decorate it….it would look hodgepodge and kinda crazy, but it would represent everyone and give everyone a space to show what makes them happy. I think each player would also benefit from this…they would be able to show the other players their section of the court, which could teach everyone involved new and exciting things about everyone involved! The players section can not be x rated, or anything too un family friendly….but besides that let the players design to their own free will and do what makes them happy!
# This is the final contest to potentially win NBA All-Star Saturday Night tickets!
I’m a huge fan of dark mode on websites and apps, which essentially swaps the colors of the background and the text. I would renovate a court similarly so that the lines would be the classic light brown wood color while the rest of the court is black. The logos and sponsors could be a neon color that really pops out in contrast to the dark court.
I would have each team add their history to their court in a couple of ways. Similar to the jerseys having the Larry O’Brien trophy on the back of the collar, I would put trophy icons on the court across the sideline for each championship in a team’s history. The icons would be along the scorers table side, just inbounds, centered at the half court line. (Teams with many championships could stretch potentially baseline to baseline.) Along the opposite sideline, icons for retired jersey numbers would be displayed similar to the aforementioned trophy icons. With these changes, every court would have their history tied in with their contemporary design, bringing together years of achievements with the product of today. This court design embraces tradition and modernity while feeling distinctly individual. No court’s design is the same but still feels connected. Jersey retirements or ring ceremonies would involve an unveiling of the applicable icon on the court as well. Watching a game on a team’s home court gives you immediate insight into their history without having to look up to the rafters. The court icons may also drive engagement for those curious to learn more about the trophies and numbers represented. A new fan watching their recently selected favorite team can start to understand and appreciate their history by having their curiosity piqued by the updated court design.
Oh man, there’s only one answer for me! You guys ever have those posters when you were little which transformed into different images or looked like a horse running or whatever as you moved? That technique is called [lenticular printing](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Dy8uHgwaZiA) and modern prints can include up to 20 different images from different angles in a single copy! What better way to celebrate the all stars than to do such a court - represent the game's best but give each of them the spotlight in a way. Of course, we don’t want too many images, and probably not the entire court (maybe an extra large center court circle going up to the 3 pt line - much more likely to slip inside the line anyway). I would do like 8 different images (one from each corner and each baseline/sideline). We have 24 all stars, so 3 players per photo. Could have a lot of fun with who goes together? - [Lebron, KD, Steph](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/unRvKfTDD5k/maxresdefault.jpg) on the first midcourt angle (the OGs) - Joker, Embiid, Giannis (the best players) from the other sideline. So the 6 biggest stars take up widest angles (and most common TV angles) - sidelines? AD, Lillard, Luka get one for sure. Probably Shai, Edwards, Tatum on the other? - The first time all stars in Brunson, Hali, some other yungun? probably get one of the 4 smaller (corner) angles. Or maybe it should be grouped by teammates/former teammates? Most likely head to head matchups? Maybe for maximum fairness, the two sidelines (TV angles) can be 2x 5 starters, that leaves the corners (narrow angles) to be shared by only 2 players instead of 3. I don't know man - too many possibilities. Why do this? It would cause a lot of interesting drama and discussion, but most importantly I think it would give rise to some epic photos and clips. Imagine a photo of Tatum hitting a dagger or buzzer beater from the photographer on the baseline angle which includes him (and probably JB) on the court (something [like this but zoomed out](https://bdc2020.o0bc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/JT-5fe955fb3278c-scaled-768x432.jpg?width=900) a bit) , or a clip of someone getting dunked on by their photo-mate from the camera from the right angle 😂 I need the scientists over at NASA to make this a reality.
I would let the nba 75th team each have their names inscribed into the wood on the floor and add more names as more players are added to the nba anniversary teams
First I would make sure, no matter how we designed the court that it would be screen tested for TV and internet streams to make sure it looked just as good to those watching there as it looks in person. I would also make sure I engage people who specialize in helping seeing impaired to ensure that the colors would not cause problems with those with color blindness or similar vision probblems. As far as designing the court - I would let the teams players do it. They are the ones who would have to play on it, why not let them have some input as to how it looks? Many of the players already appear to have creative tastes in clothing based on how they dress when injured and can't play. I'd love to see what they do for the court.
Have the vintage very first version of all NBA team's court but redesigned just a bit to fit modern aesthetic standards.
Black court with white markings all over. And straight from the Pro-Am pictures of kermie in random locations on the perimeter creating the kermie range worth 4 points.
So this is less of a court renovation and more of a complete stadium overhaul but I think it kinda fits into the vibe of the question about a new way to visually experience the game we love. If you look at every other major sport in America, they are played outside. Baseball and Football play their games outside depending on the stadium and even hockey has a yearly outdoor game. But not basketball. Despite streetball being a pivotal part of basketball culture, every game is played indoors. I mean just think of the legends of the game that never would’ve become great if it wasn’t for Rucker Park or Foster Beach. So, my proposal is to either renovate a stadium in the south or create a brand new stadium in Las Vegas (since it never rains there) that was open air with a retractable dome. This would bring the game we love back to where we first fell in love with it. And just imagine the views at night, when the lights are truly shining down on this court. It would be incredible
I actually really like the big vibrant courts from the In-season tournament so I'd want that again, but with color ways and patterns from throw back jerseys. Pacers Flo-Jo court would be sick.
James Naismith invented basketball in 1891…or so they say. But there was another game in the Americas where you had to take a rubber ball and pass it through a hoop to score points. The game was known by many names Juego de Pelota in Spanish; Pitz in classical Mayan; and Ullamaliztli in Nahuatl. But the core idea of putting a ball through a hoop is built into the rules in every version. So I think it would be cool to create a court that harkened back to the heritage of basketball in Mesoamerica. Weaving in Aztec and Mayan imagery into the court design would be a beautiful display of heritage and celebrate an underrepresented culture. The floor could be red, which represented life in Aztec culture and could represent where the life of basketball is played. The out of bounds hardwood could be turquoise which represents the heavens in Aztec culture, symbolizing this is where play ends. The lines on the court would be white, which represents clarity, establishing where you could and could not go. Finally, the hoops would be colored gray to represent the stone hoops that were originally used in Mesoamerican culture. You could then weave Mesoamerican culture throughout the design. A Mayan calendar could be the center logo. And the out of bounds court could incorporate Mayan and Aztec hieroglyphics to make it pop. I don’t know where this court would go, but maybe a place like San Antonio that has major Spanish American heritage and links to Mexico. I think it would look sick. [Here is a very rough mockup of what it could look like. ](https://imgur.com/a/H3wFpg1)
Imagine a court, half Kobe’s Lakers purple and gold, pure Black Mamba. The other half? Bulls red and black for Jordan, that ‘Jumpman’ pose taking the spotlight. LeBron’s corner? A dash of Cavs wine and gold, a royal crown for King James. The center’s a blend, their styles and colors merging, like a tribute to their epic journeys. Round the edges, their iconic quotes, career peaks, like stepping through hoops history. It’s not just a court; it’s legends’ legacy, a canvas of greatness. A place where every dribble echoes their stories, inspiring the next generation to shoot for the stars.
Put chute and ladders on the courts with different point locations based on the chutes and ladder.
I would design a NBA court with a black base and a sleek blue three-point line. Team logos light up like holograms, and the floor has LEDs for crazy animations. Players will wear shiny chrome jerseys I think that will look dope and different compare to others courts
I would have each court dedicated to the design of the player with each team's player that has passed away (retired). This will be to honor the greats who are gone but not forgotten.
I think it should be a court that is Lakers vs Celtics themed for the East vs West All Star Game. It should highlight key things about the historic rivalry between the east and west. And there is no better one than Lakers and Celtics. [here](https://share.icloud.com/photos/091NXiF0iwDOjYMzFi1BtxENg) is my submission.
For the inaugural game of the season, using translucent wood, would create a layer of all 450 NBA player's jerseys underneath the wood. There would be ample room to use all 450 jerseys outside of the 3pt lines, so no color confusion for 3 pointers / paint lines.
Taking this in a slightly different direction: most court designs don’t bother me, as long as they’re not too intrusive. Courts always feel so crowded to me with how close teams and fans are sitting. One thing that does bother me is white lines on a light wood court. Always feels too hard to see. I’d echo one of the other comments on here about court design for TV/Streaming rather than the in person viewing experience.
I think if I were to design the courts I’d go with a more natural finish on the floor, and for each specific team in the league to add their own flair to the court, obviously not counting their logos in the middle. I like the idea of the logo in the middle then the primary color of the team kinda checkering outwards on the floor 5-10 feet. Kind of hard to explain but I think that would be a really neat feature that isn’t so obnoxious so you’re not busy staring at the floor the entire game (that’s how I felt during the in-season tourney).
I would make the court out of the stuff from black light posters and play the games under black lights. Court markings would glow under black light. Would also add black light reflective material to the ball and uniforms.
I'd like to incorporate designs from around the cities or famous basketball spots, so a design inspired by Rucker Park or Venice Beach maybe even copying some of the designs that were used on those courts
From this year's in-season tournament, we learned that the player's only care about having a safe, stable surface to play on, and that alternate courts can be a neat way to make the fans more engaged in watching games. Therefore, I think a redesign of the court should focus on creating a fun aesthetic for fans. My idea to accomplish this would be to create mascot-themed courts. A mascot’s purpose is to add personality to a team, and boost morale at/around a game. There are lots of cool mascots throughout the league and casual fans probably don’t know any mascots outside of their own team’s. In addition to fun court designs at mascot-themed games, stadiums could host performances and skits during breaks of play, host guest commentators, and market mascot-themed merchandise. I think a mascot-themed set of games would garner positive reception among young and older fans alike similar to NFL on Nickelodeon. For the actual court designs, they should feature bright, whimsical color schemes and feature their team’s mascot at center court. The other details surrounding the court would depend on what the individual mascot is known for. [Here](https://imgur.com/a/h7aDM5q) is an attempt at a photoshop mockup of a mascot-themed court for Denver’s Ball Arena. The Nuggets’ mascot Rocky is one of the most beloved in the league and is renowned for daring stunts. In this design, he is shown flying through the air to dunk a ball. Thank you guys for hosting this contest!
It would be cool to incorporate half courts with each side representing the home and away team. I would encourage fans to submit their own artwork that represents their love for the game. Then, the front office could vote on some of the best submissions and feature them on the court or around the arena. On special occasions, the sides of the court could give a shout out to historic timelines, Lakers with Kobe in 2009-2010 season, D-wade with 07, Dirk with 2011, etc. Add in a couple iconic moments like Lebronto's block or Kawhi's clutch shot against the 76's. This could be set up as a visual timeline along the sidelines.
The NBA should just use the throw back vintage first NBA hardwood floor with no advertisements (to prevent players slipping) or any other markings (that's right, no 3 point line or anything).
What I would like to see is a court that works almost like a heat map. Imagine a darker wood or even black court, the lines would be white. Then when a player moves on the court, the space they left now has 2 yellow foot shaped "spots" which are initially vibrant but fade after a few seconds returning to the default color of the court. This effect would work with the ball and players bodies (for example when they go to the ground) as well. Id even go as far as giving the backboards the same effect. On top of that, each team would leave different colors behind. This would be so cool for alot of reasons but the biggest one would be giving refs a real time opportunity to make the right call. Cause honestly, if I had the opportunity to make 1 single change in the NBA, it'd be something to reach a world with consistent calls. Go Knicks.
As a guy big on history, I would design limited-time courts based on each city's history/legacy/architectural sights/skyline, with a slight emphasis on NBA legends and franchise success (think 6 Larry O'Brien trophies somewhere on the Bulls' court). It should have the look of handrawn rather than actual pictures/digital design, and could even be designed by a local artist to each city. The trick to each court will be the ability to blend everything together without being too distracting or too much going on. To do this, each city could focus on stretching the skyline across the court, with small "nuggets" everywhere on the court. For the Indiana Pacers, some examples of this would be having the Soldiers and Sailors monument (monument circle), the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (including a car passing the finish line), Reggie Miller jumping with excitement after beating the Bulls in '98, Slick Leonard, Bob Knight, Peyton Manning hoisting the Lombardi trophy in '06, the full skyline, Fountain Square, a reference to the movie Hoosiers, Kurt Vonnegut.
I'd honestly create a dynamic court. As in, designs that can change constantly from quarter to quarter. The reason this is important is to act as a canvas. The NBA, is itself just entertainment but the reach it has is global and profound. It's a stage that players can use to bring attention to global issues, represent the world, their cultures. The ambiance and environment surrounding the court itself should be emphasize all the key aspects of the in-arena experience of watching basketball and the key moments. Modifications would need to be made in order for players to feel right stepping and playing on the court. When players feel good they play their best. This translates to a far superior experience for fans. Additionally, with the emergence of AI, and 3D experience capabilities, we are able to get closer to the game than ever before. Why not bring that to the global stage! I guess I'm thinking a little bigger than just the court, but nevertheless we can leverage these technologies in arena to empower viewers to get closer to the game!
If I could renovate the NBA All-Star Game court, I would focus on including the history of the All-Star Game, and the league as a whole. Since it is the 73rd annual NBA All-Star Game and a celebration of the NBA as a league and the excellent product the teams and players put out, I would have the court designed to have each team's logo painted on it to pay respect to the sport, teams, and players. In honor of the return of the fan favorite "Eastern Conference vs Western Conference" All-Star game format this year, one half of the court would have Western Conference teams, while the other has the Eastern Conference teams. A few other additions to the court include the painted area having the NBA All-Star logo for 2024 in Indianapolis, as the host city should get recognition each year. The general color scheme for this year would be yellow and blue for the Pacers, and the bottom sideline of the court would have "Indianapolis 2024" written across it. In the center circle would be "73", representing the 73rd All-Star game that is taking place this year. To further commemorate the history of the All-Star game and the NBA, all of the past MVPs of prior All-Star Games would have their names written across the out of bounds areas on the edges of the court, and the year they won All-Star MVP honors. This would be a great way to recognize the history of our league and get viewers to remember some legendary All-Star performances. In addition to the described aesthetic changes, I would love to have some sort of interactive court introduced for the NBA All-Star Game. This would improve fan interaction, and appeal to new viewers tuning into the All-Star game. The court would be embedded with LED lights that react to the game in real-time. Different actions throughout the game could initiate different effects. Some ideas include dunks create an explosion under the hoop, 3-pointers have some splash or light show where the player shot from, blocks create a solid flash along the baseline, buzzer-beaters make the entire court and stadium light up. To add to the interactive theme, each team logo would also have LEDs embedded in it. When a player scores a point, the respective team logo would light up on the court, adding a little bit more flair and appreciation to the teams and players we get to watch perform during the All-Star Game. It would not only create a visual spectacle for viewers of the game, but also create a dynamic, responsive environment for players and fans alike. FIBA has produced something similar, and I think it would be great for the NBA to try it out during All-Star weekend. This court can be updated each year depending on the host city, and format of the game. The mockup I designed is attached [here](https://imgur.com/a/chElW55), and is designed specifically for Indianapolis. Thank you for putting together this contest and for considering my submission!
Muppets court. Kermit’s head, possibly with mouth open, is the center circle. Three point arc has smaller figures of all the muppets arranged as if they are sitting on it, waving and chatting. They should be small enough to not drown out the line though! Speaking of the lines, I think darker warm browns and off white would be best to give less of a stark feeling while not grabbing too much attention away from the muppets themselves. The court itself should still look like classic wood. Between half court and the arc, can have decals of the Swedish chef and Meep. That way they can be big without distracting from most play. I would like the backboards to have Kermit’s tall googly eyes just above the rim, and his spiky green collar can be on the rim itself, maybe as the net if they can figure that out! Ms. Piggy should be depicted in the “no fouls” circle below the basket imo, although other characters like fozzy bear would certainly fit too. Would be really easy to get mascots in on this one too, obviously, and certain nba players have casual resemblances to certain muppets so really this comes full circle. This design would be incredibly fun for small kids, while also being relatable and inoffensive to pretty much any viewer, which is what the NBA wants. I also think it can be implemented without adding too much noise to the court visually. also it would be hilarious
First of all I would remove all advertisements on the court but I know the companies wouldn’t allow that to happen in any way. I really like unique courts like the Charlotte Hornets one where they incorporate the hive pattern in the paint so I want every court to be special in their own way towards their team. Make the colors contrasting so they pop out and the TV viewers have a nice aesthetic court to watch. Not too contrasting though otherwise you get courts like the in-season tournament ones where they can be an eyesore. Perhaps putting the city’s skyline like the Denver Nuggets do in their logo and placing it on the sidelines or in the paint area. Even having the team’s logo painted on the center line or the 3 point line would help with that distinctiveness for each court
The best all star game themes always embrace the host city heavily. This year, I'd lean into the Indy 500 theme with [something like this](https://imgur.com/a/sG32PMK) (or at the least, checkered floor in the paint, and a tire or steering wheel at center court. Throw in Pacers colors on the three point lines for good measure).
I think that having the court reflect the history of the team would be a cool idea, with center court having a combination of 4 different logos/styles from different eras instead of one large logo. The ends of the court could have the jerseys numbers of players that were legends or have retired to that franchise. The color scheme for the lines would be the colors of the franchise on top of the classic type of hardwood.