Nothin' But Nets
Fansided

Brooklyn Nets: The Nets that made us fans

By Joshua Balasa

BROOKLYN, NY - OCTOBER 6: A general view before the game between the Detroit Pistons and Brooklyn Nets on October 6, 2016 at Barclays Center in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. 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 2016 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)
BROOKLYN, NY - OCTOBER 6: A general view before the game between the Detroit Pistons and Brooklyn Nets on October 6, 2016 at Barclays Center in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. 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 2016 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – APRIL 20: Kerry Kittles #30 of the New Jersey Nets lays the ball up over Anfernee Hardaway #1 of the New York Knicks during game two of the opening round of the 2004 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals at Continental Airlines Arena on April 20, 2004 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Nets won 99-81. 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. (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – APRIL 20: Kerry Kittles #30 of the New Jersey Nets lays the ball up over Anfernee Hardaway #1 of the New York Knicks during game two of the opening round of the 2004 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals at Continental Airlines Arena on April 20, 2004 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Nets won 99-81. 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. (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Kerry Kittles

History has reversed its view of Kerry Kittles with the ascension of Kobe Bryant into the pantheon of basketball gods. As Jayson Williams said in ESPN‘s look back at the Nets’ 1996 draft choice:

"I feel bad because a lot of people define Kerry over that pick. If you look at Kerry’s time with the Nets, he was an awesome player."

Taken with the eighth overall pick in the stacked 1996 Draft, most people would look back and be baffled at how a team with so much dysfunction could have passed up on one of the greatest players of all time.

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But in 1996, Bryant — the untested, rising high school star — found himself competing with more accomplished players, like Kittles.

At Villanova, Kittles was an All-American and left as their all-time leader in points and steals. Older fans may remember him as the exciting player that acted as the connective tissue between the hard times of the late ‘90s and the glory days of the early 2000s.

He quickly became the prototypical 3-and-D player for then coach John Calipari and then for Byron Scott.

Looking back onto grainy game film or highlight reels, you’d probably find him spotting up for a jumper or running hard on a fast break with Jason Kidd, occasionally throwing it down.

He’s currently second in franchise history in 3-pointers made and attempted. During their back-to-back Finals runs, he made his money on defense, usually guarding the opposing team’s best backcourt player like Kobe, the superstar he was drafted ahead of, and young, quick Tony Parker.

In 2004, Kittles was traded to Clippers for a draft, pick but a serious knee injury derailed the rest of his career. After playing, he returned to Villanova, got his MBA and had a day job working in finance.

Crazy, right? A college superstar who played against the likes of Kobe and Shaq in the Finals working a regular 9-to-5.

Life away from basketball didn’t last as he started working with the Fairleigh Dickinson University basketball program before joining the Princeton Tigers’ coaching staff in 2016. He is also now on the Villanova University Board of Trustees.

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