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 18th of those 52 different numbers is jersey No. 16 which has has had a total of three players wear the number in the history of the team.
Mar 29, 2022; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Frank Jackson (5) drives to the basket against Brooklyn Nets forward James Johnson (16) during the second quarter at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
The second of those players wearing No. 16 played in the Brooklyn Nets era, forward alum James Johnson. After ending his college career at Wake Forest, Johnson was picked up with the 16th overall selection of the 2009 NBA draft by the Chicago Bulls.
The Cheyenne, Wyoming native would play parts of the first 2 seasons of his pro career with the Bulls. He would also have stints with the Toronto Raptors, Sacramento Kings, Memphis Grizzlies, Toronto again, Miami Heat, Minnesota Timberwolves, Dallas Mavericks, and New Orleans Pelicans before he signed with Brooklyn in 2021.
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His stay with the team would span a single season, ending when he was cut in 2022. During his time suiting up for the Nets, Johnson wore only jersey No. 16 and put up 5.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game.
All stats and data courtesy of Basketball Reference.
This article originally appeared on Nets Wire: Nets jersey history No. 16 – James Johnson (2021-22)