LA Clippers Introduce San Diego Clippers as Rebranded G League Affiliate
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The LA Clippers announced on Monday afternoon that their G League team will be moving to the brand new Frontwave Arena in Oceanside, California next season and rebranding as the San Diego Clippers.
A press conference was held at Frontwave Arena on Monday, with Halo Sports and Entertainment CEO Gillian Zucker, Co-Founder and CEO of Frontwave Arena Josh Elias, Oceanside Mayor Esther C. Sanchez, G League President Shareef Abdur-Rahim, and Clippers guard Norman Powell all in attendance.
Born and raised in San Diego, Powell hosts an annual youth camp in the area, and is excited to see professional basketball return.
"I think it's amazing," Powell said when asked about the Clippers moving their G League team to Oceanside. "I wasn't around for the San Diego Clippers, but this being part of their legacy, and the organization still holding down the ties and the roots from where they were at before... it's gonna do tremendous things for the community."
Powell said that kids from this area being able to see high-level talent will help inspire the next generation, which is something he cares deeply about. Along with this, Powell is excited for the impact the San Diego Clippers will have on the community as a whole.
"I'm super excited, not only for the organization, but for the guys that I do know on the team that will be down here," Powell said. "Just to be able to experience San Diego, experience Oceanside... There's a lot of culture down here. For them to experience this community - the community outreach, that's one thing I'm really excited about. That's one thing I'm passionate about, giving back to the community, enhancing the hopes and dreams of the next generation."
Powell added that Steve Ballmer and Gillian Zucker have shown that the Clippers are "first in line" when it comes to impacting the community not only in Los Angeles, but across Southern California.
For the San Diego Clippers, a connection to the community will be built into their experience, as new apartment homes are currently under construction next to Frontwave Arena. This is where the players will be living, which is something Zucker detailed the importance of.
"You're gonna have a lot of players who are very, very intimately involved in the community," Zucker said. "That's something that's so important. As we were talking about the idea of clinics and camps and things for kids to do, you'll see our players out there. They'll be in the grocery stores, but they'll also be in the community centers doing things to impact the community."
Along with being able to directly impact the community they'll be playing in, San Diego Clippers players will have the opportunity to experience all the area has to offer. This is one of the reasons Zucker said the organization immediately jumped on the opportunity to have housing built next to Frontwave Arena.
"Having that proximity, being able to have athletes that are so close to where they train, and so close to where they enjoy their free time - whether it's learning to surf, or whether it's finding their favorite taco stand, all of those are things that I think they're going to have the experience to do here in this incredible place," Zucker said.
As was emphasized by both Zucker and Oceanside Mayor Esther C. Sanchez, these every day experiences help enhance not only the lives of athletes, but the community as a whole. While the Clippers have deep basketball roots in San Diego, they also have a deep care for the community, which was evident throughout Monday's event.
