THE Brooklyn Nets had many nice gamers by way of the franchise and it was whereas the group was in New Jersey and now in Brooklyn. One of many gamers who had his Clear Jersey retired by the franchise in 1999 continues to be honored, this time by the NBA through which he spent 17 years taking part in earlier than retiring from the League.
The Naismith basketball famend temple announcement The 17 finalists within the 2025 class Friday which will likely be taken under consideration for the elections earlier than the Male 4 of the NCAA in April. Williams was among the many finalists, which signifies that he might be listed within the room after a profession that noticed him play for 3 totally different groups, together with Nets, the Blazers of Portland Path and New York Knicks.
With the nets, Williams spent his first eight The seasons organising figures that the franchise had solely seen a couple of gamers in its historical past when it had a median of 16.4 factors, 11.9 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per sport. Whereas organising these figures, Williams gained the recruit of the yr and was appointed to the star workforce thrice throughout his eight years with the group earlier than spending the Path Blazers.
Not solely was Williams have been appointed 4 instances in an All-Defensive workforce, however he’s additionally third within the historical past of the NBA in offensive rebounds (4,526) and sixteenth in complete rebounds (13,017), exhibiting how a lot He had an influence all through his lengthy profession. Earlier than his departure with the Nets, the place the workforce wrote it with the third alternative in complete within the draft of the NBA in 1981, Williams had a wholly American profession in Maryland the place he was twice the ALCC winner.
With Portland, Williams helped the workforce attain the NBA remaining in 1990 and 1992 whereas being a stable participant for them as much as 10.2 factors and eight.7 rebounds per sport whereas firing 55.0% The sphere. Williams has already been honored by the Nets a very long time in the past for what he did for the franchise and now he might be immortalized within the temple of repute of Basketball Naismith if the panel judges him on this honor.
Williams performed for Nets, then in New Jersey, from 1981 to 1989, with a median of 16.4 factors, 11.9 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per sport throughout his mandate with the workforce. In New Jersey, Williams gained Roy for the 1981-82 season whereas being named All-Star this season and for 2 others. https://t.co/s4g5z0g7k4
– Sharif Phillips-Keaton (@Sharifkeaton) February 15, 2025
This text initially appeared on Nets Wire: Nets’ Buck Williams among the many Naismith Basketball HOF 2025 finalists