Naismith Trophy

Naismith Trophy
Naismith Trophy
	2019 (redesign)
Currently held by	Germany
Website	FIBA.com

The Naismith Trophy is a trophy awarded to the men's champion of the FIBA Basketball World Cup, and is named in honor of basketball's inventor, James Naismith.^[1]^[2] The trophy was first awarded to the winner of the 1967 FIBA World Championship. The current version of the trophy was awarded for the first time at the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup.^[3]

History

As early as

Soviet Union

, which won the first of their three FIBA World Championship titles at the tournament.

The original trophy was remodeled, and a new, updated trophy was introduced for the

FR Yugoslavia for the first time following the Finals on 9 August 1998 in Athens

.

The top part of the 1998 version of the Naismith Trophy has a lotus flower design. The decagonal rotating middle piece, with carved maps of the

continents and precious stones inlaid, symbolizes the five continents. Black onyx, yellow citrine, green chyrsopase, red garnet and blue topaz represent all the regions in the world.^[5] Jones was particularly enamored with Egypt; the lotus design was inspired by the Temples of Karnak, and Dr. Naismith's name is engraved on all four sides, in Latin and Arabic scripts, Chinese characters, and Egyptian hieroglyphs.^[4]

The 975/1000 sterling silver on the upper and lower parts – gold plated on the inside – and the 14-carat yellow gold middle part, make the cup particularly valuable and precious. The base is made of Rosa Porrino granite, and measures 20 x 20 centimeters (7.9 inches). The top of the cup has a circumference of 21 centimeters (8.3 inches). Standing 47 centimeters tall (18.5 inches), the trophy weighs nine kilograms (20 lb).^[5]

A new version of the Naismith Trophy was unveiled on 7 May 2017, during the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup Qualifiers Draw Ceremonies. The trophy, which stands about 60 centimeters high (13 cm. higher than the 1998 version), is made almost entirely out of gold, and features the names of the previous world cup champions at the base. FIBA's original name (Federation Internationale de Basketball Amateur) is also engraved at the trophy's "hoop".^[3] The trophy was designed by the creative agency Radiant Studios Ltd, and handcrafted by the silversmith Thomas Lyte.^[6]