Latest news with #BuckWilliams
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Why Nets' 2025, 2026 NBA Drafts will be most important in franchise history
Jun 22, 2017; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Jarrett Allen (Texas) is introduced as the number twenty-two overall pick to the Brooklyn Nets in the first round of the 2017 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports The post Why Nets' 2025, 2026 NBA Drafts will be most important in franchise history appeared first on ClutchPoints. The Brooklyn Nets' descent from title favorite to basement dweller has been yet another gut punch for a downtrodden fan base. However, the next calendar year will present a unique opportunity for the organization. Advertisement Think about the most popular and successful franchises in the NBA: the Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers, Chicago Bulls, Golden State Warriors, San Antonio Spurs, etc. Now, think about the first players who come to mind when you hear those teams' names: Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Stephen Curry, Tim Duncan. What do they all have in common? They were homegrown draft picks who kept those franchises relevant for years. Now, think about the Nets. Who is that player? There isn't one who comes to mind. The Nets have picked in the top 14 of the draft 24 times in their franchise's history. Those players have combined for just seven All-Star appearances. Buck Williams (drafted in 1981) is the only lottery pick to make multiple All-Star appearances with the team. Derrick Coleman (1994), Kenny Anderson (1994), Kenyon Martin (2004) and Brook Lopez (2013) are the only other lottery picks to earn an All-Star selection with the organization. Advertisement However, the next year will present an opportunity for the Nets to find that household name. Brooklyn has the No. 8 pick later this month, and all signs point towards them tanking this coming season for another top selection in 2026. The strength of the two draft classes played a large role in Sean Marks' decision to reacquire his 2025 and 2026 first-round picks from the Houston Rockets. For a Nets organization that has never had a homegrown star, let alone a superstar, the next two drafts will be the most important in its history. How Sean Marks can make Nets history during next two NBA Drafts Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports The Nets moved to Brooklyn in hopes of building a brand that could rival the NBA's premier organizations. However, the era has been defined by star trades that have left the organization with little to show for the last 13 years. Advertisement The Nets have never drafted in the lottery since moving to Brooklyn. Their last two lottery selections came in 2009 and 2010, when they selected Terrance Williams (11th overall) and Derrick Favors (3rd overall), respectively. Williams was traded midway through his second season, while Favors played just 39 games before he was shipped to the Utah Jazz as part of a package for Deron Williams. After bringing in Williams, the Nets acquired Joe Johnson before trading four unprotected first-round picks (2014, 2016, 2017, 2018) for Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett in 2013. We all know how that went. After taking over for Billy King, Marks led a promising start to the ensuing rebuild. He drafted players such as Caris LeVert and Jarrett Allen while plucking hidden gems like Spencer Dinwiddie and Joe Harris from the G League. However, the arrival of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving in 2019 accelerated the timeline. Brooklyn traded LeVert, Allen and all of its draft capital for James Harden shortly after. Advertisement Egos and poor luck led to the group's implosion. Like the organization's prior attempt at a superteam, Nets fans were left without a deep playoff run or a star player to call their own. The closest the Nets ever came to an organic build in the modern era was their 2002 and 2003 Eastern Conference championship teams. They drafted Kerry Kittles (No. 8 in 1996), Keith Van Horn (No. 2 in 1997), Kenyon Martin (No. 1 in 2000) and Richard Jefferson (No. 13 in 2001) before trading for Jason Kidd to lead the group. While they fell short of a title, the group rose to new heights and invigorated the fan base in ways the organization hadn't seen since its ABA days. The Nets now have an opportunity to follow a similar model. They can draft a premium talent with this year's No. 8 pick, while potentially using other assets to land another lottery selection. A more effective tank next season would give them a chance to secure a top pick in a 2026 draft that features highly-touted prospects such as Darryn Peterson, A.J. Dybansta and Cameron Boozer. Advertisement If things break right, Brooklyn can walk away with several homegrown, foundational pieces, a treasure trove of future draft picks and league-leading cap space to continue building its roster. That's a position the organization has seldom been in throughout its history, and one that fans should relish. Related: Celtics rumors: Boston's trade outlook gets 'positive' twist Related: How Nets can continue to benefit from Kevin Durant trade sweepstakes
USA Today
15-02-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Nets' Buck Williams among Naismith Basketball HOF 2025 finalists
Nets' Buck Williams among Naismith Basketball HOF 2025 finalists The Brooklyn Nets have had plenty of great players come through the franchise and that has been while the organization was in New Jersey and now, in Brooklyn. One of the players who have had his Nets jersey retired by the franchise in 1999 is continuing to be honored, this time by the NBA that he spent 17 years playing in before retiring from the league. The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame announced the 17 finalists for the 2025 class on Friday that will be considered for election prior to NCAA Men's Final Four in April. Williams was among the finalists, meaning that he could be enshrined in the Hall after a career that saw him play for three different teams, including the Nets, Portland Trail Blazers, and New York Knicks. With the Nets, Williams spent his first eight seasons putting up numbers that the franchise had only seen from a few players in its history as he averaged 16.4 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks per game. While putting up those numbers, Williams won Rookie of the Year and proceeded to be named to the All-Star team three times in his eight years with the organization before moving on to the Trail Blazers. Not only was Williams named to an All-Defensive team four times, he's also third in NBA history in offensive rebounds (4,526) and 16th in total rebounds (13,017), showing just how much of an impact he had throughout his long career. Prior to his start with the Nets, where the team drafted him with the third overall pick in the 1981 NBA Draft, Williams had an All-American career at Maryland where he was a two-time All-ACC honoree. With Portland, Williams helped the team reach the NBA Finals in 1990 and 1992 while still being a solid player for them to the tune of 10.2 points and 8.7 rebounds per game while shooting 55.0% from the field. Williams has already been honored by the Nets a long time ago for what he did for the franchise and now, he could be immortalized in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame if the panel deems him fit for that honor.
