NBA G League’s Indiana Mad Ants Rebrand To Noblesville Boom

The NBA’s Indiana Pacers announced this week that their G League affiliate, the Indiana Mad Ants, have rebranded to the Noblesville Boom in honour of late coach and commentator Bobby “Slick” Leonard and his iconic “Boom Baby!” catchphrase.

It's in the call.
The city.
The game itself.

When the next big thing hits, it doesn't whisper, it BOOMS 💥

Introducing the Noblesville Boom, @nbagleague affiliate of the @Pacers.https://t.co/DVjZIgiSFI pic.twitter.com/AkBOcI8H1Z
— Noblesville Boom (@noblesvilleboom) April 16, 2025

The name and logo change coincides with their upcoming move to a 3,400-seat venue in Noblesville called The Arena at Innovation Mile, though their new uniforms and court design won’t be unveiled until closer to the season opener in November.

“We’re thrilled to tip off an exciting new era for our G League team while honoring the legacy and global brand power of the Indiana Pacers,” Pacers Sports & Entertainment CEO Mel Raines said in a statement.

The franchise was founded as the Fort Wayne Mad Ants in 2007 as a tribute to the city’s namesake, “Mad” Anthony Wayne, an American Revolutionary War general and U.S. Congressman.

They captured their only league title in 2014 and then relocated to Indianapolis in 2023, playing the last two seasons at Gainbridge Fieldhouse – home of the Pacers – as the Indiana Mad Ants while their new arena was being built.

Breaking down the BOOM 🎨

An in-depth look at the details behind our new name.https://t.co/DVjZIgiSFI pic.twitter.com/DrDVjAj9gx
— Noblesville Boom (@noblesvilleboom) April 16, 2025

The Mad Ants’ partnership with the NBA has been unique, to say the least, as they were initially affiliated with the Pacers and Detroit Pistons before adding a third and fourth affiliate in the Milwaukee Bucks in 2008 and Charlotte Bobcats in 2012.

Then, when most NBA teams began acquiring their own affiliates in 2014, the Mad Ants partnered with the remaining teams that did not, including the Atlanta Hawks, Chicago Bulls, Brooklyn Nets, Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Clippers, Minnesota Timberwolves, New Orleans Pelicans, Portland Trail Blazers, Toronto Raptors and Washington Wizards.

This gave them a total of 14 affiliates, though that quickly came to an end when the Pacers purchased the independently owned franchise in 2015 and made them their exclusive G League – known then as the NBA Developmental League (or D-League) – affiliate.

With that, it should come as no surprise that the familiar ball and racing stripes from the Pacers’ logo is prominently featured in the Boom’s new mark, which combines the Pacers’ classic navy blue and gold colour scheme with cyan – first introduced with their 2023-24 City Edition uniforms.

The logo’s outline appears to be a visual representation of sound emanating from the “Noblesville Boom” wordmark. The team’s new secondary mark, meanwhile, is a simplified version of the primary design with the ball and racing stripes as the focal point instead of the wordmark.

Photos courtesy of @noblesvilleboom on X/Twitter.