Brooklyn Nets: 10 best players from 1st NBA decade (1976-86)

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LANDOVER, MD – CIRCA 1978: John Williamson #23 of the New Jersey Nets dribbles the ball against the Washington Bullets during an NBA basketball game circa 1978 at the Capital Centre in Landover, Maryland. Williamson played for the Nets from 1977-80. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) /

SG. Undrafted free agent, Aug. 20, 1973; Trade from Indiana Pacers, Jan. 27, 1978. John Williamson. 9. player. 147.

John Williamson was one of the few New York Nets who survived the transition from the ABA to the NBA with the team and even his stay was short initially.

After averaging 20.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.4 steals in 34.0 minutes per game for the Nets through his first 42 games in 1976-77, Williamson was sent to the Indiana Pacers in a Feb. 1, 1977, trade that brought Darnell Hillman and a 1977 first-round pick to New York.

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Less than a year later, Williamson was back with the Nets — now in New Jersey — as the team reacquired Super John from the Pacers in exchange for Bob Carrington and second-round picks in 1980 and 1981.

He was extremely productive for a bad team to close out the 1977-78 season, jacking up nearly 26 shots per game and averaging 29.5 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.4 steals in 38.8 minutes per game while shooting only 45.4 percent from the floor.

Williamson did dial it down a bit in 1978-79, putting up 22.2 points, 2.6 boards, 3.4 dimes and 1.2 steals in 33.1 minutes per game, shooting 46.5 percent and helping New Jersey to the playoffs.

He would score 59 points in 92 minute in a two-game sweep at the hands of the Philadelphia 76ers, going 23-for-62 (37.1 percent) from the floor in the two games.

Problems with his weight led to problems with his knees in 1979-80, as Williamson hung up 17.7 points and 3.1 assists in 27.5 minutes per game on .447/.421/.864 shooting before being traded to the Washington Bullets in February 1980 with a 1981 second-round pick in exchange for Roger Phegley.

Williamson was cut by the Bullets early in the 1980-81 season, attempted a comeback with the CBA’s Las Vegas Silvers in 1982 and faded away. He was just 45 years old when he died on Nov. 30, 1996, from kidney failure related to diabetes.

For the decade with the Nets, Williamson averaged 22.5 points, 2.7 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.2 steals in 33.5 minutes per game, shooting .455/.421/.842.

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