New Orleans Hornets spokesman Greg Bensel denied a Yahoo! Sports report that owner Tom Benson plans to change the nickname of his NBA franchise from the Hornets to Pelicans.

“We’re not confirming that is the name,’’ Bensel said. “This is a process that’s ongoing and still in discussions. And it will be eventually decided by the NBA.’’

Benson, though, is actively pushing for a name change and he has owned the rights to the Pelican nickname for years. In an interview on Fox Sports Television, Gayle Benson, Tom’s wife, said she wants to change the team’s colors to navy blue, red and gold.

The NBA’s Board of Governors would have to vote in favor of any name change and the process usually takes two years to complete. The Hornets moved to New Orleans from Charlotte in 2002.

via John Reid of The Times-Picayune