The Charlotte Hornets today announced that the team’s new NBA D-League franchise that will begin play in Greensboro, N.C., in 2016-17 will be called the Greensboro Swarm.

“When we selected the name and logo for our D-League team, it was important to us that they be closely tied to our Hornets brand,” said Hornets President & COO Fred Whitfield. “Swarm is a word that we often use in conjunction with the Hornets, as it not only describes a group of hornets but it also refers to a large, energetic gathering. We believe this name also represents the city of Greensboro, where fans gather in great numbers to support the game of basketball and show their excitement towards it. Swarm is a part of the DNA and the attitude of our Hornets franchise. Our D-League team is an extension of our organization, both on and off the court, and this name and logo embody that concept.”

The Greensboro Swarm wordmark resembles that of the Hornets, using the same font and having the city name in smaller letters above the nickname in larger letters. The primary logo prominently features the wordmark, above a design of a basketball with a stinger coming out the bottom that is also used in the Hornets primary logo. The secondary logo features the letters “GS” with a smaller version of the basketball and stinger. The Swarm will use teal and cool gray as primary colors, with purple as an accent color. The wordmark and logos were designed internally by the Hornets creative department.

The name and logo were unveiled by speed painters from Artrageous in an event featuring Hornets players and executives during the intermission between the women’s and men’s championship games of the 40th Anniversary HAECO Invitational presented by NewBridge Bank at the Greensboro Coliseum Complex Special Events Center.

The Greensboro Swarm will play 24 home games at the Pavilion at the Greensboro Coliseum Complex, which will be renovated into a basketball fieldhouse.