Brooklyn Nets: History of Nets in NBA All-Star Game
By Phil Watson
1983: Buck Williams
Buck Williams made it two All-Star selections in his first two seasons when he was named an Eastern Conference reserve in 1983.
Williams got to the break averaging 17.1 points per game for the New Jersey Nets, who were third in the Atlantic Division, but fourth in the East with a 33-18 record.
He came off the bench at Inglewood, Calif., and scored eight points with seven rebounds and a steal in 19 minutes, shooting 3-of-4 from the floor.
The East went on to a 132-123 win, with Julius Erving of the Philadelphia 76ers named MVP with 25 points, six rebounds, three assists, two blocks and a steal.
Williams wound up earning All-NBA second team honors — the first Net so named — after averaging 17.0 points, 12.5 rebounds, 1.3 blocks and 1.1 steals in 36.1 minutes per game, shooting 58.8 percent from the floor and going 0-for-4 from 3-point range.
The Nets were 16-15 after the break, rocked when coach Larry Brown abruptly resigned to become the head coach at the University of Kansas with just six games remaining in the regular season.
New Jersey, despite being seeded fourth and having home-court advantage, went down in two straight games in the first round at the hands of the New York Knicks.