The Brooklyn Nets have 52 jersey numbers worn by over 600 different players over the course of their history since the franchise was founded in 1967 as a charter member of the American Basketball Association (ABA), when the team was known as the “New Jersey Americans”.
Since then, that league has been absorbed by the NBA, with the team that would later become the New York Nets and New Jersey Nets before settling on the name by which they are known today, bringing their rich player and jersey history with them to the league of today.
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To commemorate the players who played for the Nets over the decades wearing those 52 different jersey numbers, Nets Wire is covering the entire history of the franchise’s jersey numbers and the players who sported them since the founding of the team.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – NOVEMBER 03: A detail of Ben Simmons #10 of the Brooklyn Nets jersey against the Chicago Bulls in the first half of the NBA In-Season Tournament at the United Center on November 03, 2023 in Chicago, Illinois. 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 Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
And for today’s article, we will continue with the third of six people to wear the No. 54 jersey, big man alum Jack Haley. After ending his college career at UCLA, Haley was picked up with the 79th overall selection of the 1987 NBA Draft by the Chicago Bulls.
The Long Beach, California native played parts of the first two seasons of his pro career with Chicago, coming to an end when he was cut then claimed by the (then) New Jersey (now, Brooklyn) Nets in 1989 for his first stint with the team. After that, he played for the Los Angeles Lakers, Bulls again, and the San Antonio Spurs before returning to New Jersey for the final two seasons of his career.
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During his time suiting up for the Nets, Haley wore only jersey Nos. 44 and 54 and put up 4.9 points and 4.0 rebounds per game.
All stats and data courtesy of Basketball Reference.
This article originally appeared on Nets Wire: Nets jersey history No. 54 – Jack Haley (1997-98)