Washington Wizards Logo Concept

[AAO]

Just a start here.

[tBBP]

And a pretty darn good one.

On the whole, the one main thing that's throwing me is that the entire logo appears oblique--I don't think very many people have ever seen either the Washington Monument or the Capitol Building sway in the wind like that, so to speak. I also can't really speak to whether or not that triangular shape even works for a DC sports team logo...but it doesn't seem to be too out of place here.

I like how the wizard seems to be going for a layup--but I'm not sure what purpose that wand serves. Also, as far as that hat, maybe if you bend the top of it back, it would add more to that forward/upward sense of motion, and look less like a traffic cone in the process. I do see hidden W's all through this though...pretty darn clever.

I guess really, I'm thinking you should probably try to render it so as to present more of a faster sense of motion. Maybe if you were to pull that right arm/wand back a little bit (think archer preparing to shoot an arrow off his bow), it might present a bit of a more "magical" appearance (I don't know if that makes any sense or not, but that's the best way I can articulate what my mind's eye is seeing).

Very good start, though.

[C's]

Pretty damn good, especially considering you have such a crappy name to work with.

[AAO]

Also, as far as that hat, maybe if you bend the top of it back, it would add more to that forward/upward sense of motion, and look less like a traffic cone in the process.

Thanks guys. Buc, spot on here.

The traffic cone! Never even thought abotu that but traffic in this city is the worst in the country.......perfect reference! Jk, horrible thing to reference in an NBA logo. However, maybe not. But maybe its a subtle enough reference that I could get away with it! Haha. The only reason I didn't bend it back because I thought it made the wizard look kind of dopey. Then again it is a dopey name.

[Jigga]

I think your Wizard should have white hair.

[AAO]

I think your Wizard should have white hair.

Joe Biden?

Washington Bidens

i agree

[raysox]

the hand/staff area seems weird, and should be a little thicker. Also, the hat needs work a little.

[GriffinM6]

Wow this is great,but is that wizard based on Dave Grohl,the lead singer for the Foo Fighters?

[oddball]

I honestly believe that it's not working because it's too literal. I like how the Magic, Heat, and the Jazz have depicted what they are without being so literal. The Magic did it with a basketball and stars. The Heat is just brilliant. Why because it's like the guy shooting the ball is on a hot streak and the streak has caused the ball to catch on fire. The Jazz have gone back to their original logo and gone with a music note as opposed to the way the minor league baseball team, the Swing depicted jazz by making everything instruments. Think about who's a wizard on the court or who has been in the past who has been a wizard on the court. The first person who comes to my mind is Magic Johnson, and then the question would be, "How do I depict the essence of Magic, without an illustration of Magic?" That's just how I see it.

[rockngoalie1]

I honestly believe that it's not working because it's too literal. I like how the Magic, Heat, and the Jazz have depicted what they are without being so literal. The Magic did it with a basketball and stars. The Heat is just brilliant. Why because it's like the guy shooting the ball is on a hot streak and the streak has caused the ball to catch on fire. The Jazz have gone back to their original logo and gone with a music note as opposed to the way the minor league baseball team, the Swing depicted jazz by making everything instruments. Think about who's a wizard on the court or who has been in the past who has been a wizard on the court. The first person who comes to my mind is Magic Johnson, and then the question would be, "How do I depict the essence of Magic, without an illustration of Magic?" That's just how I see it.

I think this is a valid point. With a team name like Wizards, it's hard to have a human form as a logo, I think. Instead of focusing on the wizard himself, maybe go for something like smoke and mirrors. Make it somehow mystical, using attributes that associate with wizardry, like the famous pointed hat, or the crystal ball.

[MDGP]

I honestly believe that it's not working because it's too literal. I like how the Magic, Heat, and the Jazz have depicted what they are without being so literal. The Magic did it with a basketball and stars. The Heat is just brilliant. Why because it's like the guy shooting the ball is on a hot streak and the streak has caused the ball to catch on fire. The Jazz have gone back to their original logo and gone with a music note as opposed to the way the minor league baseball team, the Swing depicted jazz by making everything instruments. Think about who's a wizard on the court or who has been in the past who has been a wizard on the court. The first person who comes to my mind is Magic Johnson, and then the question would be, "How do I depict the essence of Magic, without an illustration of Magic?" That's just how I see it.

The issue I have with your examples is that all your examples are abstract ideas. I mean, you can't have "A Magic," or "A Heat," or "A Jazz". Meanwhile, a wizard is concrete, a person who performs magic or is clever and skilled in a certain field. Since a wizard is an actual person, I feel like using a human for would be the best thing to do.

[Conrad.]

I honestly believe that it's not working because it's too literal. I like how the Magic, Heat, and the Jazz have depicted what they are without being so literal. The Magic did it with a basketball and stars. The Heat is just brilliant. Why because it's like the guy shooting the ball is on a hot streak and the streak has caused the ball to catch on fire. The Jazz have gone back to their original logo and gone with a music note as opposed to the way the minor league baseball team, the Swing depicted jazz by making everything instruments. Think about who's a wizard on the court or who has been in the past who has been a wizard on the court. The first person who comes to my mind is Magic Johnson, and then the question would be, "How do I depict the essence of Magic, without an illustration of Magic?" That's just how I see it.

Make it somehow mystical, using attributes that associate with wizardry, like the famous pointed hat, or the crystal ball.

[jaha32]

I agree with those that said it might be too literal to work as an NBA concept, but then again, if you were to make it less literal, you'd have little choice but to use stars and things like that which would look too much like the Magic.

But as far as the concept goes, the hand needs work. The wand seems so small that it doesnt add much to the logo although I think a wand should be in there. I think this could work, but with a less detailed wizard. Maybe a little more detail than their real logo and a little less than this.

[CS85]

IMHO the motion lines/flames around the basketball should be going upward as if the ball has a spell on it or something and maybe be levitating above the wizard's palm.

[Funkatron101]

Good start! Both the hands need some work. The one holding the staff needs to be more defined, but with broader strokes, and the one holding the ball should be holding it more like a crystal ball, perhaps levitating.

I think the gray should either be eliminated, or incorporated more. Not having any on the neck, while having so much on the face doesn't feel logical.

Also, maybe try reversing the blue and white (make the skin gray, then create another blue stroke around the logo). This would give him a white beard, and may "fill out" the logo more. It may not work, but it might be worth it to try.

[Buster]

I think your Wizard should have white hair.

Then we could call them the Byrds and still keep the Wizard theme.

[TrueYankee26]

I honestly believe that it's not working because it's too literal. I like how the Magic, Heat, and the Jazz have depicted what they are without being so literal. The Magic did it with a basketball and stars. The Heat is just brilliant. Why because it's like the guy shooting the ball is on a hot streak and the streak has caused the ball to catch on fire. The Jazz have gone back to their original logo and gone with a music note as opposed to the way the minor league baseball team, the Swing depicted jazz by making everything instruments. Think about who's a wizard on the court or who has been in the past who has been a wizard on the court. The first person who comes to my mind is Magic Johnson, and then the question would be, "How do I depict the essence of Magic, without an illustration of Magic?" That's just how I see it.

I think this is a valid point. With a team name like Wizards, it's hard to have a human form as a logo, I think. Instead of focusing on the wizard himself, maybe go for something like smoke and mirrors. Make it somehow mystical, using attributes that associate with wizardry, like the famous pointed hat, or the crystal ball.

He did something similar in his orlando magic concept a long time ago

here it is

[DeFrank]

I really like this logo. I live in Washington and would think this a great Wizard rebrand. The hand and ball needs to be worked on, as does his staff. Also, being a Washintonian, I don't think people would really go for the capitol and washington monument next to each other... it just isn't like that. What the Caps did with the alternate eagle logo is more realistic. A good start though, I really think this is a good rebrand.

Maybe you could try to fit in a "W" somewhere? Just a thought...

[DeFrank]

And I'm also a Harry Potter freak, so I am for keeping the Wizard name. Just model it after Dumbledore and were good!

[Frenchie]

I like how the wizard seems to be going for a layup--

I agree with pretty much everything Buc said here. I would even try to exploit that layup effect a little more, maybe by reversing the ball holding hand, while being careful of having the right proportion for the ball. To add an element of wizardry, I may ad some sort of trail to the ball (maybe stars...)

Overall, a great concept!