---
title: @NBAFinalsTrophy NBA Finals Bucket List | 6th Hashtag Sports Awards
description: Global awards recognizing excellence in fan engagement and celebrating creativity across sports marketing, media & entertainment
image: https://www.hashtagsports.com/hubfs/awards/shortlist-2024/nba-finals-trophy.webp
---

@NBAFinalsTrophy NBA Finals Bucket List | 6th Hashtag Sports Awards

# @NBAFinalsTrophy NBA Finals Bucket List

[NBA](https://www.nba.com/)

The 6th Annual Awards

 Nominee ✨

- Best Use of Multi-Platform

![Image](https://www.hashtagsports.com/hs-fs/hubfs/awards/shortlist-2024/nba-finals-trophy.webp?width=1920&height=1080&name=nba-finals-trophy.webp)

Share [** ](https://www.hashtagsports.com/awards/shortlist-2024/nba-finals-bucket-list#) [** ](https://www.hashtagsports.com/awards/shortlist-2024/nba-finals-bucket-list#) [** ](https://www.hashtagsports.com/awards/shortlist-2024/nba-finals-bucket-list#)

ABOUT THIS ENTRY

The NBA launched a creative and first-of-its-kind social content initiative to drive awareness and excitement leading up to and throughout the 2023 NBA Finals, which tipped off on June 1. The campaign, titled The Larry O’Brien Trophy’s NBA Finals Bucket List, was developed and executed to connect with core and casual NBA fans around the world in a memorable way, ultimately driving attention and tune-in, for the conclusion of the NBA Playoffs and 2023 NBA Finals.

In conjunction with the campaign, the NBA launched @NBAFinalsTrophy social accounts and published content to global and regional social accounts on Facebook, Instagram, Snap, TikTok, X and YouTube to engage fans around the world - to make it a true multi-platform campaign.

![Image](https://www.hashtagsports.com/hs-fs/hubfs/awards/shortlist-2024/nba-finals-trophy.webp?width=1920&height=1080&name=nba-finals-trophy.webp)

How does this represent “Excellence in Engagement”?

While traditional championship trophy tours have been executed in the past, the NBA reimagined this campaign by developing a compelling story arc, orchestrating jaw-dropping experiences and deploying best-in-class social media content strategies that drove elevated engagement and consumption. The unique ‘bucket list’ theme gave the NBA’s championship trophy a distinct identity and the content a purpose, which resonated with a global audience of sports fans. We customized content for multi-platform use and strategically determined which content was posted natively and/or amplified across the newly created @NBAFinalsTrophy handles and the global @NBA handles. In addition to deploying a wide range of trophy-related content from NBA platforms, we also collaborated closely with third-party entities to amplify our content and post natively to their channels, helping us reach a wider audience in bespoke ways. For example, a key element to successful engagement was the variety of content that we published, which included content as simple as a high-res photo of the trophy at the Kentucky Derby to as complex as having a artfully-produced video of the trophy skydiving into downtown Denver for a grand arrival to Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

Objective

The NBA launched a first-of-its-kind social media campaign to drive awareness and excitement for the 2023 NBA Finals. The campaign, titled The Larry O’Brien Trophy’s NBA Finals Bucket List, was designed to use the trophy to connect with core and casual NBA fans around the world in a memorable way, ultimately driving awareness and tune-in for the NBA Finals.

 The NBA recognized the opportunity to use the trophy to create a bold and disruptive campaign that for the first time gave “Larry” an identity and took the trophy to unexpected events and activities as part of ‘Bucket List’ that needed to be completed by the Finals. Larry interacted with global celebrities (from the Jonas Brothers to Usher), attended the world’s most popular events (like the Kentucky Derby), visited iconic landmarks (like Christ the Redeemer) all of which was captured and distributed to fans around the world across the NBA social media platforms. For each stop, the NBA produced a wide range of compelling content that incorporated NBA Finals messaging to authentically remind fans and media about the start of the NBA Finals. The campaign drove earned media across social, digital, traditional PR channels and through marketing assets world wide.

Strategy & Execution

Throughout a six-week period, the Larry O’Brien Trophy executed more than 50 items on its bucket list across five categories of unique activities: Iconic Events, Epic Adventures, Celebrity Encounters, Historical Landmarks, Media Appearances.

 The NBA’s social media team worked across time zones to capture, edit and publish the content in real-time, including graphics, photos, animations, scripted skits, short-form and long-form videos—all of which were captured in a variety of ways using phones, higher-end cameras, drones and GoPros.

 Content was customized and distributed using the most-optimized platform publishing features available on Facebook, Instagram, Snap, TikTok, X and YouTube across @NBAFinalsTrophy and @NBA. Additionally, content was localized for international audiences and published across regional social media platforms around the world.

 Additionally, we leveraged native platform tools outside of traditional publishing to create unique activations around the Trophy - including an Instagram AR filter where fans could capture social photos with the Trophy in a “photobooth” and share it with their friends on Instagram.

 More than 150 posts were published across @NBA and @NBAFinalsTrophy in addition to posts from celebrities and influencers the trophy crossed paths with, including The Jonas Brothers, Usher, Meghan Trainor, TXT, J Balvin and Jason Kelce, among others.

**Organizations**

- NBA

**Links**

- [  TikTok](https://www.tiktok.com/@nbafinalstrophy)
- [  Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/nbafinalstrophy)
- [  YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/@nba)
- [  Snapchat](https://www.snapchat.com/add/nba)
- [  X](https://www.twitter.com/nbafinalstrophy)

**Credits**

**[Bob Carney](https://www.hashtagsports.com/awards/shortlist-2024/NBA.com?hsLang=en)**  
Senior Vice President, Social and Digital Content  
NBA

**[Adam Fedorko](https://www.hashtagsports.com/awards/shortlist-2024/NBA.com?hsLang=en)**  
Vice President, Social and Digital Content Creation  
NAB

**[David Thomas](https://www.hashtagsports.com/awards/shortlist-2024/NBA.com?hsLang=en)**  
Vice President, Content Management and Operations  
NBA

**[Michael Verrone](https://www.hashtagsports.com/awards/shortlist-2024/NBA.com?hsLang=en)**  
Vice President, Domestic Programming and Content Strategy Lead  
NBA

**[Ashley Atwell](https://www.hashtagsports.com/awards/shortlist-2024/NBA.com?hsLang=en)**  
Associate Vice President, Social and Emerging Media Lead  
NBA

**[Jason Gilfillan](https://www.hashtagsports.com/awards/shortlist-2024/NBA.com?hsLang=en)**  
Associate Vice President, Creator Content Lead  
NBA

**[Heather Messer](https://www.hashtagsports.com/awards/shortlist-2024/NBA.com?hsLang=en)**  
Senior Director, Event Operations, Event Administration Lead  
NBA

**[Justin D’Apolito](https://www.hashtagsports.com/awards/shortlist-2024/NBA.com?hsLang=en)**  
Director, Social Content Lead  
NBA

**[Jasmin Marquez](https://www.hashtagsports.com/awards/shortlist-2024/NBA.com?hsLang=en)**  
Director, Programming and Music Business Operations Lead  
NBA

**[Peter Richter](https://www.hashtagsports.com/awards/shortlist-2024/NBA.com?hsLang=en)**  
Director, Content Design Lead  
NBA

**[Jeff Sanchez](https://www.hashtagsports.com/awards/shortlist-2024/NBA.com?hsLang=en)**  
Director, Talent and Creator Content  
NBA

**[Leah Berry](https://www.hashtagsports.com/awards/shortlist-2024/NBA.com?hsLang=en)**  
Senior Manager, Social and Digital Content Creation Management  
NBA

**[Brian Boehler](https://www.hashtagsports.com/awards/shortlist-2024/NBA.com?hsLang=en)**  
Senior Manager, Field Operations  
NBA

**[Jake Freeman](https://www.hashtagsports.com/awards/shortlist-2024/NBA.com?hsLang=en)**  
Senior Manager, Social Content, Content Planning Lead  
NBA

**[Jenny Fischer](https://www.hashtagsports.com/awards/shortlist-2024/NBA.com?hsLang=en)**  
Manager, On-Site Content Creation Lead  
NBA

**[Carly Nevis](https://www.hashtagsports.com/awards/shortlist-2024/NBA.com?hsLang=en)**  
Manager, DTC and Vertical Content Creation  
NBA

**[Elias Williams](https://www.hashtagsports.com/awards/shortlist-2024/NBA.com?hsLang=en)**  
Manager, Social Content, Content Planning - Promotional Content  
NBA

**[Samantha Linczyc](https://www.hashtagsports.com/awards/shortlist-2024/NBA.com?hsLang=en)**  
Associate Manager, Social Content, Meta Platforms Manager  
NBA

**[Craig Teifert](https://www.hashtagsports.com/awards/shortlist-2024/NBA.com?hsLang=en)**  
Senior Producer  
NBA

**[Sherman Gomez](https://www.hashtagsports.com/awards/shortlist-2024/NBA.com?hsLang=en)**  
Senior Editor  
NBA

**[James Johnson](https://www.hashtagsports.com/awards/shortlist-2024/NBA.com?hsLang=en)**  
Senior Editor  
NBA

**[Jeff Leong](https://www.hashtagsports.com/awards/shortlist-2024/NBA.com?hsLang=en)**  
Video Coordinator  
NBA

**[Zuri Pavlin](https://www.hashtagsports.com/awards/shortlist-2024/NBA.com?hsLang=en)**  
Video Coordinator  
NBA

**[Gerard Nocera](https://www.hashtagsports.com/awards/shortlist-2024/NBA.com?hsLang=en)**  
Senior Production Assistant  
NBA

**[Victoria Guerrero](https://www.hashtagsports.com/awards/shortlist-2024/NBA.com?hsLang=en)**  
Project Employee, On-Site Content Creation  
NBA

**[Stuart Bryan](https://www.hashtagsports.com/awards/shortlist-2024/NBA.com?hsLang=en)**  
Senior Director, Global Partnerships and Corporate Communications Lead  
NBA

**[Mark Pozin](https://www.hashtagsports.com/awards/shortlist-2024/NBA.com?hsLang=en)**  
Senior Director, International and Youth Basketball Communications  
NBA

**[Jacinda Ortiz](https://www.hashtagsports.com/awards/shortlist-2024/NBA.com?hsLang=en)**  
Senior Director, Media, STC and Entertainment Communication  
NBA

**[Devon Garden](https://www.hashtagsports.com/awards/shortlist-2024/NBA.com?hsLang=en)**  
Senior Manager, NBA 2K and G League Communications  
NBA

**[Amanda Thorn George](https://www.hashtagsports.com/awards/shortlist-2024/NBA.com?hsLang=en)**  
Senior Vice President, Global Partnerships, Social Impact and International Communications Lead  
NBA

#### Celebrate in NYC

Join us for the 6th Annual Hashtag Sports Awards™ on the evening of June 6, 2024 as we celebrate finalists and reveal the winners of this year's awards live during the show.

 

[![RESERVE SEATS](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/834568/c79439a7-e53f-4aa9-9d60-2b68caf80d89.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/834568/c79439a7-e53f-4aa9-9d60-2b68caf80d89)