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D-Fenders to Become South Bay Lakers Following 2016-17 Season

January 22, 2017 - NBA G League (G League)
Los Angeles D-Fenders News Release


D-FENDERS TO BECOME SOUTH BAY LAKERS FOLLOWING 2016-17 SEASON Team Unveils New Name and Colors to Pay Homage to Community and Parent Club's History

EL SEGUNDO - The Los Angeles D-Fenders will become the South Bay Lakers following the conclusion of the 2016-17 NBA Development League season, it was announced today by President/CEO Joey Buss.

"I am excited to announce the South Bay Lakers rebrand," Buss said. "This is an opportunity to leverage the iconic Lakers brand, celebrate our amazing community and emphasize our franchise's accomplishments over the last 10 years while we continue to compete for an NBA D-League championship."

The new identity - South Bay Lakers - immediately calls to mind the prestigious brand of its parent club, the Los Angeles Lakers, while honoring a community that has served as a headquarters for the D-League affiliate since 2006.

The franchise has won three conference championships while combining for 35 NBA Call-Ups among former players and staff. Rooted in this history of producing talent, the D-Fenders won the NBA D-League's inaugural Development Champions award in 2011-12, an honor given to the team that best embodies the league's goals of developing NBA players, coaches and staff. The new South Bay Lakers identity will honor this tradition of achievement, while looking forward to a bright future in the new state-of-the-art UCLA Health Training Center that is currently set to open in Summer 2017.

South Bay's new colors put a modern twist on a classic Lakers look. The use of Purple and Gold will further align the franchise to the world-wide influence of its parent brand. Meanwhile, South Bay Blue will act as a differentiator from the Lakers identity, honoring the ocean views that are so prominent in the South Bay region.

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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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