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 first of 15 people to wear the No. 34 jersey, Hall of Fame big man alum Mel Daniels. After ending his college career at New Mexico, Daniels was picked up with the ninth overall selection of the 1967 NBA Draft by the (then) Cincinnati Royals (now, Sacramento Kings), but elected to sign with the ABA’s (defunct) Minnesota Muskies for his first season as a pro.
The Detroit, Michigan native also played for the Indiana Pacers (in the ABA, where he won three titles), and the (also defunct) Memphis Sounds before he joined the (then) New York (now, Brooklyn) Nets for his final season as a pro.
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During his time suiting up for the Nets, Daniels wore only jersey No. 34 and put up 3.5 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks per game.
All stats and data courtesy of Basketball Reference.
This article originally appeared on Nets Wire: Nets jersey history No. 34 – Mel Daniels (1976)