South Bay Lakers facts for kids

Quick facts for kids South Bay Lakers
Conference	Western
League	NBA G League
Founded	2006
History	Los Angeles D-Fenders 2006–2017 South Bay Lakers 2017–present
Arena	UCLA Health Training Center
Location	El Segundo, California
Team colors	Purple, gold, South Bay blue
Team manager	Nick Mazzella
Head coach	Zach Guthrie
Ownership	Los Angeles Lakers
Affiliation(s)	Los Angeles Lakers
Championships	0
Conference titles	2 (2012, 2016)
Division titles	2 (2012, 2014)

The South Bay Lakers are a professional basketball team from Los Angeles, California. They play in the NBA G League, which is like a development league for the main National Basketball Association (NBA). The team started in 2006 as the Los Angeles D-Fenders. They are owned by the Los Angeles Lakers, who were the first NBA team to own a G League team.

In 2017, the team changed its name to South Bay Lakers. They also moved their home games to the UCLA Health Training Center in El Segundo, California. This new center is also where the Los Angeles Lakers practice. You can listen to all their games online on the team's website or watch them on Spectrum SportsNet.

Team History: From D-Fenders to South Bay Lakers

The original Los Angeles D-Fenders logo, used from 2006 to 2017

The team's first name, "D-Fenders," was chosen in a contest. People voted for their favorite name, and "Breakers" won. But a local dwarf basketball team already used that name. So, the team became the D-Fenders instead.

Early Years: The Dan Panaggio Era (2006–2009)

The D-Fenders played their first season in 2006–07. Their record was 23 wins and 27 losses. Even with this record, they almost made the playoffs. Dan Panaggio, who used to be an assistant coach for the Portland Trail Blazers, was their first head coach.

Some players did really well. Brian Chase was chosen for the D-League All-Star Game. Stéphane Lasme was the first D-Fenders player to get "called up" to play for an NBA team, the Miami Heat.

At first, D-Fenders games were often played right before or after Los Angeles Lakers games. If you had a ticket to a Lakers game, you could also watch the D-Fenders play. On April 1, 2007, Jordan Farmar made history. He was the first player ever to play in both an NBA game and a D-League game on the same day!

In the 2007–08 season, the team got much better, with 32 wins and 18 losses. They made it to the playoffs! They won their first playoff game against the Colorado 14ers. But they lost in the next round to the Idaho Stampede, who went on to win the championship.

Stéphane Lasme was named the D-League Defensive Player of the Year. He also played in the All-Star Game. Jelani McCoy was also an All-Star and got called up to the Denver Nuggets. Coach Panaggio even coached the All-Star game! Coby Karl, whose dad is famous NBA coach George Karl, also played in both an NBA and D-League game on the same day.

The 2008–09 season was not as good, with 19 wins and 31 losses. But Orien Greene made eight steals in one game. Joe Crawford was called up to the New York Knicks. Rookie player Sun Yue was the third Lakers player to play for the D-Fenders.

The D-Fenders started playing some home games at the Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario, California. This was the first time people bought tickets just to see the D-Fenders play.

Changes and a Breakout Season (2009–2012)

For the 2009–10 season, Chucky Brown became the new coach. He had been an assistant coach for the D-Fenders before. But the team had a tough season, with only 16 wins and 34 losses. This was the first season where no D-Fenders players were called up to the NBA.

In May 2010, the D-Fenders decided not to play for the 2010–11 season. The Lakers still owned the team, but they took a break to reorganize. During this time, the Lakers worked with the Bakersfield Jam team instead.

The D-Fenders announced they would return for the 2011–2012 season. They would play their home games at a new place: the Toyota Sports Center in El Segundo, California. This center is also where the Lakers and D-Fenders offices are. It's a small arena, so fans can get very close to the court.

Glenn Carraro became the new general manager. On August 18, 2011, Eric Musselman was named the new head coach. He had coached NBA teams like the Sacramento Kings and Golden State Warriors.

The D-Fenders had an amazing season in 2011–12! They won 38 games and lost only 12. This was the best regular season record in D-League history at the time. The Laker Girls also performed at their home games, which was very exciting.

Many players had great seasons. Brandon Costner and Elijah Millsap were top scorers. Malcolm Thomas was named to the All NBA D-League First Team. Four D-Fenders players were chosen for the All-Star Game: Zach Andrews, Costner, Millsap, and Gerald Green. Green was even named the MVP of the All-Star Game!

The D-Fenders easily won the Western Conference Title in the playoffs. They made it to the finals but lost to the Austin Toros. Coach Musselman was named D-League Coach of the Year. The team's front office also won an award for helping players develop and move up to the NBA.

Playoff Journeys and New Records (2012–2015)

For the 2012–13 season, Reggie Theus, a former NBA coach, became the new D-Fenders head coach. The team finished with 21 wins and 29 losses. Courtney Fortson was a key player, leading the D-League in assists and being second in steals. He also played in the All-Star Game.

In 2013, Mark Madsen was named head coach, but he left to work for the Lakers before coaching a game. So, Bob MacKinnon became the coach. He led the team to a 31–19 record and their second West Division title!

This era saw some amazing scoring records. Manny Harris scored 49 points in a game, which was a team record at the time. He was also the first D-Fenders player to be called up to the Lakers. Just three weeks later, Terrence Williams scored 50 points, setting a new record! The team also set a D-League record by making 26 three-pointers in one game. Harris then broke his own scoring record with 56 points! Even with these great performances, the D-Fenders lost early in the playoffs.

In 2014, Phil Hubbard became the team's sixth coach in six years. Jabari Brown was the league's top scorer, averaging 24.4 points per game. Brown, Vander Blue, and Roscoe Smith all played in the All-Star Game. The team scored a lot of points but finished with a 17–33 record and missed the playoffs.

Final Seasons as D-Fenders (2015–2017)

Before the 2015–16 season, Conner Henry was hired as coach, but he left to become an assistant coach for the Orlando Magic. So, Casey Owens became the head coach. The D-Fenders made it to the NBA D-League finals for the second time! They had a 27–23 regular season record. They played against the Sioux Falls Skyforce in the finals but lost.

Vander Blue led the league in total points scored and was second in scoring average. He was named to the First Team All-NBA D-League. Jeff Ayres and Ryan Gomes also received honors. Gomes was named the D-League's Impact Player of the Year. Point guard Josh Magette led the league in assists and steals. Ayres and Justin Harper were called up to NBA teams.

On September 12, 2016, Coby Karl became the D-Fenders' head coach. He had played for both the Lakers and the D-Fenders before. He was the second person ever to play in an NBA and D-League game on the same day.

Becoming the South Bay Lakers (2017–Present)

On April 9, 2017, the Los Angeles Lakers announced that the D-Fenders would change their name to the South Bay Lakers. They also announced the team would move to the new UCLA Health Training Center in El Segundo. This is the same place the Lakers practice! After the D-Fenders were out of the playoffs, the team officially became the South Bay Lakers. They showed off their new team logos on April 8, 2017.

The 2018–19 South Bay Lakers finished with a 21–29 record and missed the playoffs. The 2019–20 season was cut short because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The team then decided not to play in the special 2021 season. In July 2021, Coach Karl left, and Miles Simon became the new head coach.

Current Roster

Season Records

Head Coaches

NBA Team Connections

The South Bay Lakers are directly connected to the Los Angeles Lakers. This means the Lakers use the South Bay Lakers to help develop new players.

South Bay Lakers

• Los Angeles Lakers (2017–present)

Los Angeles D-Fenders

• Los Angeles Lakers (2006–2017)

See also

In Spanish: South Bay Lakers para niños