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Brooklyn Nets: 15 best draft picks of all-time (updated through 2018-19)

By Phil Watson

Brooklyn Nets Jarrett Allen (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
Brooklyn Nets Jarrett Allen (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) /
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Brooklyn Nets, NBA Draft
BROOKLYN, NY – MARCH 19: (NEW YORK DAILIES OUT) Brook Lopez #11 of the Brooklyn Nets in action against Nerlens Noel #3 of the Dallas Mavericks at Barclays Center on March 19, 2017 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. The Mavs defeated the Nets 111-104. 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 Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) /

. C. New Jersey Nets (1st round, 10th overall, 2008 NBA Draft). Brook Lopez. 4. player. 147

For proof it takes more than DNA, consider if you will the case of the Lopez twins. Brook Lopez, shooter and scorer. Robin Lopez, banger and rebounder. If they weren’t identical twins, you couldn’t tell they were even related by their playing styles.

Brook Lopez was the 10th overall pick out of Stanford by the New Jersey Nets in 2008 and was an All-Rookie First Team selection after averaging 13.0 points, 8.1 rebounds and 1.8 blocks in 30.5 minutes per game.

Brooklyn Nets
Brooklyn Nets /

Brooklyn Nets

He was an iron man early in his career, not missing a game in his first three seasons, before sitting out all but five games in 2011-12 with a stress fracture in his right foot.

Lopez came back well in 2012-13, earning an All-Star bid in the Nets’ first season in Brooklyn after averaging 19.4 points, 6.9 rebounds and 2.1 blocks in 30.4 minutes per game.

There were setbacks the following year. Lopez had surgery in the offseason to replace the screw in his right foot after it was bent (in case you had questions about the amount of torque placed on a foot while carrying a 7-foot, 275-pound player around a basketball court).

But Lopez broke the foot again in December 2013, ending his season after just 17 games.

He played a hybrid starter-reserve role in 2014-15 before regaining the starting center job the following season, where he posted a career-high 20.6 points per game in 2015-16.

In 2016-17, Lopez added a new element to his game, shooting 34.6 percent from 3-point range on 387 attempts from deep. For some perspective, Lopez had attempted 31 3s, making three, in his first eight NBA seasons.

In June 2017, the Nets traded Lopez and the rights to Kyle Kuzma (whoops) to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for former No. 2 overall pick D’Angelo Russell and the bloated contract of Timofey Mozgov.

In nine seasons with the Nets in New Jersey and Brooklyn, Lopez averaged 18.6 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.7 blocks in 32.2 minutes per game on a slash line of .506/.328/794.

He is the franchise’s all-time leader in points (10,444) and blocked shots (972) and is in the top 10 in 28 categories in all.

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