The Agua Caliente Clippers of Ontario were an NBA G League basketball team based in Ontario, California, that served as the development affiliate of the Los Angeles Clippers. The franchise was announced on May 15, 2017, and began play in the 2017-18 season, when the league was renamed the NBA Gatorade League.[1] The team was named for the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, a federally recognized Tribe located in Palm Springs, California, whose Agua Caliente Casino Resorts served as the Clippers’ Presenting Sponsor and Official Tribal Casino partner.[1]
Design and History
The Agua Caliente Clippers logo was unveiled alongside the franchise announcement on May 15, 2017.[2] Contemporary press coverage described the primary mark as a red “C” with a swoosh in the middle of a basketball, with the words “Agua Caliente Clippers” arced in a circle around the basketball.[3] The design placed the central emblem within a circular badge format that incorporated the team name around the central symbol.
The franchise operated under the Agua Caliente Clippers name through the 2021-22 season. On July 5, 2022, the team was renamed the Ontario Clippers, with the organization stating that the name change honored the community that had supported the team since its inception in 2017.[4] The Ontario Clippers identity lasted two seasons before the LA Clippers announced in March 2024 that the G League team would relocate to Oceanside, California, and rebrand as the San Diego Clippers for the 2024-25 season, with a new logo unveiled at the announcement event.[5]
Meaning and Symbolism
The team name directly referenced the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians. Tribal Chairman Jeff L. Grubbe noted at the time of the announcement that having a sports team named after the Tribe was a first for the NBA and the D-League, and that it recognized the relevance of the Tribe’s history and culture.[1] The naming arrangement reflected the sponsorship relationship between Agua Caliente Casino Resorts and the Clippers organization.[1]
The logo’s visual elements connected the affiliate to its parent organization. The red “C” monogram and the basketball imagery tied the mark to the Los Angeles Clippers’ visual language, while the circular badge format gave the G League team a distinct emblem of its own.[3]
Typography and Design
The team name was set in an arc around the central basketball emblem, following the circular construction of the badge. The lettering used a straightforward athletic treatment consistent with the mark’s function as a compact team identity suitable for uniforms and merchandise.[3] The team’s official colors were red and blue, with silver also appearing in the palette.[6]
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