The Basketball History of Brooklyn Nets Daily News Edition

The Nets began life in 1967 as the New Jersey Americans, before making the short trip northeast a year later to become the New York Nets. Led by future NBA legend Julius “Dr. J” Irving, the Nets won two American Basketball Association titles in the three years prior to the 1976 NBA/ABA merger. 

After joining the NBA, the Nets returned to New Jersey to avoid conflict with the New York Knicks. Unfortunately, a mandatory encroachment fee led to the sale of Irving, and the Nets struggled to progress, winning only one playoff series in their first 25 seasons in the NBA. At the turn of the century, the Nets’ fortunes turned around with the acquisition of All-NBA point guard Jason Kidd, and culminated in two consecutive NBA Finals appearances in 2002 and 2003. In 2012, after 35 years in New Jersey, the Nets returned to New York, finding a new home in Brooklyn.

It’s an exciting time to be a Nets fan right now. With a roster stacked full of All-Stars, Brooklyn finished the 2020/21 regular season 2nd in the East, its highest ranking in 17 years. After their playoff campaign was ended by eventual NBA Champions Milwaukee, Nets fans will be hoping their team can go one better this year and capture the franchise’s first-ever NBA Championship. 

Archivist insight: We reproduce these newspaper articles from scan archives. In some cases, there’ll be blemishes and the reproduction quality might not be as clear or precise as it was in the original paper.