Nothin' But Nets
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Brooklyn Nets: 10 best players from ABA era

By Phil Watson

UNIONDALE, NY - 1974: Julius Erving #32 of the New York Nets goes to the basket against the Indiana Pacers circa 1974 at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1974 NBAE (Photo by Jim Cummins/NBAE via Getty Images)
UNIONDALE, NY - 1974: Julius Erving #32 of the New York Nets goes to the basket against the Indiana Pacers circa 1974 at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1974 NBAE (Photo by Jim Cummins/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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UNIONDALE, NY – 1974: Brian Taylor #14 of the New York Nets shoots the ball against the Virginia Squires circa 1974 at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1974 NBAE (Photo by Jim Cummins/NBAE via Getty Images)
UNIONDALE, NY – 1974: Brian Taylor #14 of the New York Nets shoots the ball against the Virginia Squires circa 1974 at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1974 NBAE (Photo by Jim Cummins/NBAE via Getty Images) /

PG. 2nd round pick in 1972 ABA Draft. Brian Taylor. 2. player. 147.

Perhaps fitting for a franchise that has had, shall we say, a mixed track record in the draft, Brian Taylor is the only player on this list who was selected by the now-Brooklyn Nets.

Taylor was taken in the second round of the 1972 ABA Draft after he left Princeton following his junior year, opting to sign with the ABA club over the NBA’s Seattle SuperSonics, who had also taken the All-American in the second round.

It was a good pick for the Nets, as Taylor gradually moved past All-Star Bill Melchionni on the depth chart at point guard and earned Rookie of the Year honors in 1972-73 averaging 15.3 points per game.

Brooklyn Nets
Brooklyn Nets /

Brooklyn Nets

Taylor went on to two All-Star berths with the Nets, an All-ABA second-team selection in 1974-75 and was twice named to the ABA’s All-Defensive squad (1974-75 and 1975-76).

He led the league in steals with 2.8 per game in 1974-75 and played important roles on both of New York’s ABA title teams, leading the ABA in three-point shooting (42.1 percent) in 1975-76.

In four seasons with the Nets, Taylor averaged 14 points, 3.7 assists and 2.4 steals per game. In his ABA career, he was 54-for-176 from deep, just a 30.7 percent mark.

But when the NBA added the three-point line in 1979, he was the league’s most prolific shooter from outside the line, hitting 93-of-239 and led the NBA with a 38.3 percent mark from long range.

Taylor entered the NBA with the Nets after the merger in August 1976, but was traded a month later with Jim Eakins and a pair of first-round picks to the Kansas City Kings in exchange for All-Star point guard Tiny Archibald.

Taylor played 10 seasons in the two leagues, although he missed the second half of the 1977-78 season with the Denver Nuggets embroiled in a dispute over a bonus payment and missed most of 1978-79 as an unsigned free agent.

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