Basic History of the New Jersey Nets Basketball Team

The New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team that plays in the National Basketball Association. The Nets play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. They play their home games in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

The New Jersey Nets are currently owned by rap mogul, Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter, and Bruce Ratner. The team is coached by Lawrence Frank. The official colors of the New Jersey Nets are dark blue, red, silver, and white.

The franchise was founded in 1967 when the team was known as the New Jersey Americans. The New Jersey Americans played their home games in Teaneck Armory.

In 1968, the team changed its name to the New York Nets. As the New York Nets, the team played its home games in the Long Island Arena, the Island Garden, and the Nassau Coliseum.

In 1977, the New York Nets became the New Jersey Nets, and the team began playing in Rutgers' Athletic Center. Four years later, in 1981, the team moved to its current location. The arena, which was formerly called the Brendan Byrne Arena, is now called the Continental Airlines Arena.

From 1967-1976, the franchise was a part of the American Basketball Association. During the team's time in the ABA, they won one division title in 1974 and two ABA Championships, one in 1974 and the other in 1976.

Since the franchise joined the NBA, the Nets have won four division titles in 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2006. They won the conference title in 2002 and 2003. They have not yet won an NBA Championship.

Four former players for the New Jersey Nets' franchise are currently enshrined in the National Basketball Hall of Fame. Those players are Nate Archibald, Rick Barry, Julius Erving, and Drazen Petrovic.

The Nets have six retired numbers. The players whose jersey numbers have been retired are Drazen Petrovic - 3, Wendell Ladner - 4, John Williamson - 23, Bill Melchionni - 25, Julius Erving - 32, and Buck Williams - 52.

Some other former fan favorites of the New Jersey Nets are Kenny Anderson, Keith Van Horn, Derrick Coleman, Kendall Gill, and Darryl Dawkins.

The current Nets team is led by a trio of perennial NBA All-Stars. The team is run through one of the top point guards in the league, Jason Kidd. Jason Kidd is one of the best players in NBA history in earning triple-doubles. The other members of the trio are forward Richard Jefferson and the high-flying Vince Carter.