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. The 17th of those 52 different numbers is jersey No. 15 which has has had a total of 14 players wear the number in the history 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)
The first of those players wearing No. 16 played in the (then) New York (now, Brooklyn) Nets era, forward alum Bill Bunting. After ending his college career at UNC, Bunting was picked up with the 26th overall selection of the 1969 NBA draft by the New York Knicks.
The New Bern, North Carolina native would play the first # seasons of his pro career with the ABA’s (defunct) Carolina Cougars instead. That ended with a trade to New York in 1970, his stay with the team spanning just 39 games of one season before he was dealt to the (also defunct) Virginia Squires.
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During his time suiting up for the Nets, Bunting wore only jersey Nos. 15 and 3, and put up 4.9 points and 3.6 rebounds per game.
All stats and data courtesy of Basketball Reference.
This article originally appeared on Nets Wire: Nets jersey history No. 15 – Bill Bunting (1970-71)