LA Lakers D-League Team still hasn't unveiled its name

The Los Angeles Lakers have purchased the rights to an NBA Development League team, becoming the first NBA team to do so. Like the parent club, they will play their home games at the Staples Center until the Ontario Community Events Center is completed in 2007.

The Lakers held a "name the team" contest with an unusual format. As with the NCAA tournament bracket, the site featured 64 possible team names. By the first week of June 2006, only the D-Fenders and Breakers remained as finalists.

On June 5, balloting closed. Three days later, the team was supposed to announce its new name, but did not do so. It has been reported that Breakers was the winning name in the poll, but there still has no official announcement as of June 29, 2006.

source: Wikipedia

But if you go on their temporary official site, and zoom in on the bracket, you see the D-Fenders are the winning name

"D-Fenders". Weird name for a team, even for a D-League one, hey. Even if it's just about unveiling a name, things are starting bad I guess (they are already 25 days late). I hope there is not anything bigger involved. Nevertheless, I like the fact that one team completely owns a developmental one. I don't know if a D-League with 30 teams would be interesting to see, but that team could help the Lakers stack promising players, not only rookies and 1 year pro players, but also role players who haven't found a home elsewhere. I also hope that the Lakers will truly use this team by sending some of their prospects, including Andrew Bynum who may not be ready yet for the Big League

Bynum in D-League would make sense since its obvious they arent ready to use him fully just yet. He can run up and down a few games and log some heavier minutes to really see his worth.

Imagine if he goes down and averages 26 and 12.

"D-Fenders". Weird name for a team, even for a D-League one, hey.

Might be me but it makes perfect sense.. it obviously is pronounced as 'defenders' but it also connects with D-League through the "D-".

Maybe it'll be the Lakettes, or the Ponders...

LA Traffic was my favorite though

"D-Fenders". Weird name for a team, even for a D-League one, hey.

Might be me but it makes perfect sense.. it obviously is pronounced as 'defenders' but it also connects with D-League through the "D-".

yafold, but the real meaning of "D" in D-League is Developmental... And even if we all want to see some good defense (unlike Raptors happy to get scored 81 in their heads), the main purpose is to score, I guess. D-Fenders only stands for one side of the game, that's why I feel it doesn't fit that right (all the more as they were some nicknames that were OK (Evolution, Sensation, Lights...)

Yes, the team will be named the LA D-Fenders.

Bynum will not be in the D-League next season. The lakers will need a backup center after they trade Chris Mihm.

"D-Fenders". Weird name for a team, even for a D-League one, hey.

Might be me but it makes perfect sense.. it obviously is pronounced as 'defenders' but it also connects with D-League through the "D-".

yafold, but the real meaning of "D" in D-League is Developmental... And even if we all want to see some good defense (unlike Raptors happy to get scored 81 in their heads), the main purpose is to score, I guess. D-Fenders only stands for one side of the game, that's why I feel it doesn't fit that right (all the more as they were some nicknames that were OK (Evolution, Sensation, Lights...)

Why, you think they should name the team Offenders, and put Kobe onto it?

Meh, what I forgot to add is that "D-Fenders" reminds me a lot the created teams in NBA Live 95: the Stealers, the Jammers, the Blockers and the Slammers

you think they should name the team Offenders, and put Kobe onto it?

Wow. Best post ever.
Been a long time since I saw a Kobe bashing.

D-Fenders reminds me of defense and car fenders.