Forgotten Ones
NBA One-Hit Wonders Exhibition
Role
Art Direction, Audience Research, Branding, Copywriting, Creative Strategy, Exhibition Design, Experience Design, Model Building, Website Design
Discipline
Exhibition Design
Sector
Entertainment
Overview
In the NBA's 78-year history, numerous players have shown momentary brilliance, an explosive burst onto the scene, only to fade into nostalgic memories after one miraculous season. The Forgotten Ones exhibition pays tribute to these one-hit wonders, commemorating their brief success in the league. While they may not be enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame, their achievements are forever remembered here.
Insight
The one-hit wonders of the NBA typically share a common career trajectory: an initial surge of potential, a standout season, and subsequent derailment due to injury or insufficient playing time. This Exhibition captures the essence of their unique narratives, providing a visual journey through their brief yet impactful season.
Brand Concept
Like the rapid impact of a supersonic boom, the design encapsulates the fleeting success of one-hit wonders, moving at high speed. Each player featured in the exhibition will be presented in a dedicated area, showcasing their brief but impactful moment of success in the NBA with stylized graphic elements that allude to the bow shock from supersonic speed. As visitors progress through the exhibition, their downward journey symbolizes the conclusion of these players’ remarkable stints in the league.
In the Forgotten Ones exhibition, ten players are featured at a time, with a rotation every four months to ensure all NBA one-hit wonders get their moment to shine. Each player is represented by two to three panels documenting their season before their breakout and their breakout season, highlighting their greatest achievements, such as being named an All-Star or winning an end-of-season award. The current roster of players featured includes Don May, Marvin Webster, Richard Dumas, Dana Barros, Bryant Reeves, Jamaal Magloire, Mike James, Tyreke Evans, Aaron Brooks, and Jeremy Lin.
This section of the exhibition reframes the narrative from perceived shortcomings to a moment of appreciation, offering insights into the demanding journey from high school basketball to the NBA. It aims to educate visitors about the challenges of reaching the league and highlights the difficulty of making a significant contribution.
At the end of the exhibition, visitors are greeted by three distinct rooms, each showcasing the highlighted players: Tyreke Evans, Aaron Brooks, and Jeremy Lin.
In the highlighted players section, visitors will find curated displays featuring information about the players' best-performed games and a selection of memorabilia, including magazines and newspapers.
Upon conclusion of the exhibition, visitors will enter the Hall of Summary for a final encounter with the 10 featured players. Here, visitors can scan the QR codes next to each player's name to gain insights into their careers following their magical season.
Visitors can choose to purchase a physical ticket at the venue, designed to resemble the traditional NBA, or book tickets online to enter the exhibition through their smart devices.
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