Jabari Smith Jr.

A streamlined brand identity for an NBA powerhouse

Project Type: Brand Identity

Agency: COR Marketing

Designer: Neil Shastri

Tools: Adobe Illustrator & Photoshop

Jabari Smith Jr. is an American professional basketball player for the Houston Rockets of the NBA, playing as a forward. He was drafted by the Rockets with the third overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft after a notable freshman year at Auburn University. Smith was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team in 2023 and recently signed a five-year, $122 million rookie contract extension with the Rockets. As a contractor Creative Director & Designer, I worked with the team at COR Marketing & Strategies in Atlanta, GA to refresh his brand identity to best match his shift from rookie sensation to the rising all-star he's becoming.

At the start of his career, Jabari's logo reflected his dedication to the sport and large ambition. A young student athlete at Auburn University, what started out as a testament to his big dreams and personal connection to the sport now needed refinement to reflect the professional NBA rising all-star.

This new logo would need to reflect his defensive strategy, conveying strength. It would need to resemble his sharp-shooter skillset, streamlining curves and lines. The current logo, while displaying remarkable personality, needed to fit in with a world of shoe deals, marketing & advertising campaigns, apparel, and his developing tagline: Forever Humble. Classic old school energy with a confident modern presence.

The custom-designed lettermark for Jabari Smith Jr. needed to be bold and confident, and showcase the personality of a young basketball professional without being too arrogant. Jabari guided us by communicating his preference of simplicity and boldness above all things. While some of the above logo directions display potential for unique recognition and iconic brand designs, we needed a grounded logo that was easily legible, simple, and clean.

Ultimately, we landed on a bold concept that combined bold and unified lines, with seamless flowing curved lines similar to the graceful and skilled playing style of Jabari Smith Jr. We improved legibility of the S and 2 beyond the initial concept by conneting those lines, but still retaining some similar structure of the logo for his fans who had been following him for years.

The final result is a legible brand design that can live across various channels and grow with Jabari as he continues to excel in his career and stand out as the humble athlete that inspires so many.

Contact

Twin Cities, MN
neil@neilshastri.design

"Storytelling is the most powerful way to put ideas into the world today."

-Robert McKee