The New York Nets history traces a dynamic journey from their ABA roots to becoming an NBA franchise. Known for their fast-paced style and star players, the team achieved major success in the 1970s with two ABA titles. This early dominance shaped the legacy of New York Nets basketball, influencing the franchise even after its move to New Jersey and later Brooklyn.
Established
1967
City
New Jersey - New York - New Jersey - Brooklyn
League History
1976 - Present / National Basketball Association
1967 - 1976 / American Basketball Association
Team History
2012 - Present / Brooklyn Nets
1977 - 2012 / New Jersey Nets
1968 - 1977 / New York Nets
1967 - 1968 / New Jersey Americans
Nickname
Nets - The New York Nets have been a part of the National Basketball Association (NBA) since 1967 and are one of the oldest franchises in the league. As such, they have a long and storied history, making them iconic in basketball. However, one aspect of their legacy that is often overlooked is their nickname's origin story.
It all began with founder Arthur Brown who wanted to give his team an identity separate from its predecessors: The American Basketball League’s Brooklyn Celtics and New Jersey Americans teams had both previously used “Nets” as their moniker, but Brown was determined to make sure his new franchise would stand out from these two predecessors by giving it its unique name. After much deliberation, he settled on “Nets” because it represented strength – something he felt was essential for any successful sports team – while being short enough for fans to easily remember when cheering at games or talking about them around town.
New York Nets Origin
As time went on, this nickname became even more entrenched as fan support grew over the years; not only did they come up with clever chants like "Go Nets!" during games, but there were also several popular merchandise items featuring various designs incorporating nets, which helped further cement this name into people's minds across America - particularly amongst basketball aficionados who could appreciate what this symbolized about those playing for The Big Apple-based squad each season!
In conclusion then, although most may think that 'nets' refers to baskets made during gameplay, we can now see how vital symbolism played into why Arthur Brown chose this particular word back in 1967 when creating what would eventually become one of the NBA's most beloved franchises: The New York Nets!
Championship
NBA Championships 0
ABA Championships 2
1976, 1974
Arena
2012 - Present / Barclays Center
*New Jersey*
2010 - 2012 / Prudential Center
1981 - 2010 / Izod Center
1977 - 1981 / Rutgers Athletic Center
*New York*
1972 - 1977 / Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum
1969 - 1972 / Island Garden
1968 - 1969 / Long Island Arena
*New Jersey*
1967 - 1968 / Teaneck Armory
Owner
2010 - Present / Mikhail Prokhorov
2003 - 2010 / Bruce Ratner
1999 - 2003 / YankeeNets
1998 - 1999 / Raymond Chambers and Lewis Katz
1978 - 1998 / Secaucus Seven
1969 - 1978 / Roy Boe
1967 - 1969 / Arthur Brown
- 1968
- 1969
- 1970
- 1973
- 1976
-
Name Changed to the Nets
After a planned move to Newark, New Jersey fell through the team opted to stay at the Long Island Arena for the second year, and changed its name to the New York Nets. The name “Nets” was used because it rhymes with the names of two other professional sports teams that played in the New York metropolitan area at the ... -
Secret Draft – Lew Alcindor
The team finished last in its first New York season and drew a paltry 1,108 a game, about half of what it had drawn a year earlier. They posted a 17–61 record and shuffled 23 different players on and off the roster. Brown sold the team to clothing manufacturer Roy Boe after that season. Boe started off his ownership with ... -
Acquisition of Barry
During the 1970 offseason, the team finally managed to acquire a star in Rick Barry after trading their No. 1 pick and cash to the Virginia Squires. After another playoff season at the Island Garden, the team moved to the brand new Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale for the end of the 1971 – 1972 season. In 1972, two ... -
Julius Erving to the Nets
The 1973 – 1974 season saw the Nets finally put all the pieces together. The key event of the season though would come in the 1973 offseason, as the Nets acquired Julius Erving from the Virginia Squires. With Erving, who was affectionately known as “Dr. J”, the Nets ended the season with a franchise-record 55 victories. After Erving was voted ... -
ABA–NBA Merger
The summer of 1976 saw the ABA–NBA merger finally take place. As part of the merger agreement, four teams from the ABA—the Nets, Denver Nuggets, Indiana Pacers, and San Antonio Spurs – joined the NBA. The Nets and Nuggets had actually applied to join the NBA in 1975, but were forced to play a lame-duck season in the ABA by ...
To qualify as the greatest player for this team, the player must have played one season for this team. If not, we will remove the player.
* verifies that player has played for this team as an added player by a fan.
New York Nets History
The New York Nets, originally founded as the New Jersey Americans in 1967, are a historic professional basketball franchise. They began in the American Basketball Association (ABA) before joining the NBA after the 1976 merger. Over time, the New York Nets history became synonymous with iconic players, memorable seasons, and major contributions to New York Nets basketball.
During their ABA years, the New York Nets quickly rose to prominence under the leadership of Julius Erving. He guided the team to two ABA championships in 1974 and 1976, making the New York Nets history one of the most successful in that league. The team’s ability to compete at such a high level cemented its reputation as one of the ABA’s premier franchises before entering the NBA.
Following the NBA merger, the New York Nets basketball journey continued with several relocations and changes. They played in Long Island and later New Jersey, where they became the New Jersey Nets, making two NBA Finals appearances in 2002 and 2003 with stars like Jason Kidd, Kenyon Martin, and Richard Jefferson. These Finals runs added another significant chapter to the New York Nets history.
New York Nets Achievements
The team’s achievements include winning two ABA championships (1974 and 1976), producing Hall of Famers like Julius Erving and Rick Barry, and later reaching back-to-back NBA Finals in 2002 and 2003. The New York Nets basketball legacy also features numerous playoff appearances and memorable players who left their mark on the franchise.
Today, while the team is known as the Brooklyn Nets, the New York Nets history remains a proud part of the franchise’s identity. Their success in both the ABA and NBA, along with the star power they’ve attracted over decades, makes them one of basketball’s most notable and transformative teams. For more details on the team’s legacy, visit the New York Nets Wikipedia page. You can also read about the team’s later years as the New Jersey Nets to explore the next chapter of their story.
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Retired Number
3 / Dražen Petrović
5 / Jason Kidd
23 / John Williamson
25 / Bill Melchionni
32 / Julius Erving
52 / Buck Williams
*Blue is this team’s history