Brooklyn Nets: Top 10 NBA Draft picks in franchise history
6. Mike Gminski (C) – No. 7 pick in 1980 NBA Draft
Career stats (with the Nets, 1980-88): 550 GP, 11.7 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 1.3 APG, 0.6 SPG, 1.1 BPG, 47.3% FG, 83.4% FT
Nowadays, Mike Gminski is a college basketball commentator for CBS and the Atlantic Coast Conference. However, he was once a crucial part of Nets basketball in the 1980s. Gminski played 550 games as a Net, third-most in franchise history. He also logged the 10th-most minutes in franchise history.
Gminski is on a number of team career leaderboards due to his longevity. He’s sixth all-time in made free throws, fifth in total rebounds and fourth in total blocks. In the process, he accumulated 34.4 win shares over seven and a half seasons with the team. That is 10th-most among all Nets.
Despite the stereotype that centers carry, Gminski was a very good free throw shooter. He shot 83.4 percent from the line as a Net. He finished among the league’s top 10 in two seasons: 1986 (third) and 1988 (fourth).
Gminski was the Nets’ main center his rookie season, but he became a backup the following year. He averaged 8.4 points and 5.5 rebounds per game from 1981-85 as a second-teamer.
He became the full-time starting center ahead of a hobbled Darryl Dawkins in 1985-86. Gminski came away with career highs in minutes (31.2), points (16.5) and rebounds (8.2) per game. He also shot a career-high 51.7 percent from the field. Gminski had another strong year in 1987, hitting a new personal best of 8.8 rebounds per game.
Gminski’s time in New Jersey ended in January 1988 as the team looked to tear down and rebuild. He was traded along with Ben Coleman to the Philadelphia 76ers for Roy Hinson, Tim McCormick and a 1989 second round pick. Split between two teams, Gminski averaged 16.4 points and 10.0 rebounds per game in 1987-88.
Mike Gminski is another name that wouldn’t instantly come to mind when thinking of all-time Nets. However, he provided seven and a half seasons of solid, consistent production as the team’s man in the middle.