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 11th of those 52 different numbers is jersey No. 9 which has has had a total of 18 players wear the number in the history of the team.
Apr 17, 2022; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) drives the ball against Brooklyn Nets guard Goran Dragic (9) in the second half during game one of the first round for the 2022 NBA playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
The 10th of those players wearing No. 9 did so in the Brooklyn Nets era, guard alum Goran Dragic. After starting his pro career abroad, Dragic was picked up with the 45th overall selection of the 2008 NBA draft by the San Antonio Spurs.
The Ljubljana, Slovenia native would play parts of the first 3 seasons of his pro career with the Phoenix Suns, however, after a draft night trade to the Suns. He also had stints with the Houston Rockets, Miami Heat, and Toronto Raptors before signing with Brooklyn in 2022.
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His stay with the team would span just 16 games before he’d sign with the Chicago Bulls at the start of the next season. During his time suiting up for the Nets, Dragic wore only jersey No. 9 and put up 7.3 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game.
This article originally appeared on Nets Wire: Nets jersey history No. 9 – Goran Dragic (2022-23)