Golden State Warriors

Project Scope:

Art Direction / Graphic Design / Illustration / 3D Renderings & Mockups

Tools used:

Illustrator / Photoshop / Dimension

Overview:

I had the privilege of working on high-profile projects for the Golden State Warriors, including their Annual Charity Poker Tournament supported by the Warriors Community Foundation. This event gathers the Warriors staff, players, and fans for a night of poker and philanthropy, raising significant funds for community initiatives. My work also included creating commemorative pin designs for the grand opening of the Chase Center in San Francisco, CA. Collaborating closely with Warriors organization stakeholders, I ensured that all designs aligned seamlessly with the team's iconic branding and effectively reflected the team's values, spirit and dedication to the community.

1. Challenges

Working with a high-profile client like the Golden State Warriors required balancing creativity with strict adherence to the team’s well-established brand identity.

For their Annual Charity Poker Tournament, a key challenge was ensuring the designs respected the Warriors’ identity while still bringing a creative and unique approach that conveyed the lively, competitive spirit along with the philanthropic purpose of the event.

For the commemorative pins marking the Chase Center opening, the task was to develop designs that captured the historical and architectural importance of the new arena being ushered in, while also resonating with the Warriors’ loyal employees.

Ultimately, themes of community, authenticity and brand spirit rang loudest, so the overarching challenge became striking a seamless balance between those three.

2. Process

For the Warriors’ Annual Charity Poker Tournament, I wanted to blend elements of poker with Warriors branding, as well as incorporate materials reflective of basketball. The idea of utilizing wood as a direct nod to the sport’s iconic hardwood courts felt like it could add a level of authenticity. To capture the poker theme, I saw integrating poker chips as a good fit, as they would lend each award a quite literal ‘winning’ reminder that complemented the event’s spirit.

For the Chase Center pins, I worked through several design iterations to encapsulate the significance of the new arena. I wanted something that highlighted its exceptional architectural form, yet also carried a minimalist appearance.

3. Outcome

The resulting designs were well-received, aligning with the Warriors’ brand and the significance of each occasion.

For the Annual Charity Poker Tournament, the result was a set of double-sided engraved wooden awards featuring pewter medallions that resembled poker chips, capturing the spirit of the event and its competitive atmosphere. The reverse side of each award held a hidden layer of detail: when the awards were turned over and fitted together, they formed a complete image of the Chase Center home court, complete with official markings. The design reinforced a sense of unity and community, with each individual award connecting to reveal the larger picture.

For the Chase Center pins, I landed on a shape that mirrored the Chase Center as seen from a bird’s-eye view, with a minimalist aesthetic that reflected both the arena’s modern elegance and its standing as a new landmark for the Warriors community.