Spurs Sports & Entertainment announced today that its Austin-based NBA Development League team has been renamed the Austin Spurs.
Formerly the Austin Toros, the NBA D-League affiliate of the San Antonio Spurs will share the nickname of its parent club.
“The rebranding of the Austin franchise is a terrific opportunity to capitalize on the substantial equity of the Spurs brand,” said Rick Pych, Spurs Sports & Entertainment President of Business Operations. “The name change creates an instantly recognizable link between the two franchises and is a natural progression based on the important role the Austin team plays in the development of young players, general managers and coaches who are on their way to reaching their dream of making it to the NBA.”
The new Austin Spurs primary logo resembles a western-themed belt buckle and prominently features the iconic Spur in the center. It also combines the familiar silver, black and white color palate utilized by the entire Spurs Sports & Entertainment family of teams.
The Austin Spurs will celebrate their 10th anniversary when the 2014-15 season opens next month. In that span, the franchise has a history of developing NBA talent on the court and in the front office. Twenty Austin Spurs players have earned Gatorade Call-Ups to the NBA. Three head coaches have been promoted to NBA coaching positions (Quin Snyder, Brad Jones, Taylor Jenkins) and four previous assistant coaches are currently in other NBA coaching or staff roles (Bryan Gates, Dale Osbourne, Roy Rogers, and Alex Lloyd). Three former general managers (Dell Demps, Danny Ferry, Sean Marks) and two athletic trainers (Dice Yamaguchi, Nixon Dorvilien) have also been elevated to NBA positions. The Austin Spurs have advanced to postseason play five of nine seasons in Austin, winning three division championships and the 2012 NBA D-League title.
