Greatest unsung hero in every NBA team’s history

Brooklyn Nets: Richard Jefferson

Hey, did you know that Richard Jefferson has the fourth most win shares in New Jersey/Brooklyn Nets franchise history? Did you also know that Jefferson made zero All-Star appearances in his career?

The former Arizona Wildcat spent his first seven seasons with the Nets. They acquired him thanks to a draft day trade with the Houston Rockets. He eventually blossomed into a reliable tertiary scoring option alongside Jason Kidd, Kenyon Martin and later Vince Carter.

He peaked during the 2007-08 season, which was also his final season with the Nets. The then-27-year-old averaged a career-best 22.6 points per game that season, as well as boasting a 57.1 true shooting percentage.

Sure, Jefferson never consistently drained 3-pointers. When he entered the league, 3-point efficiency was not a prerequisite towards being a successful player.

Yes, the advanced metrics never viewed him as anything more than a solid two-way player, as he had a 16.8 PER in seven seasons with New Jersey. However, he was a vital cog for those 2000s Nets teams that made the playoffs six straight seasons between 2002 and 2007.

For a franchise as tortured as the Nets, there haven’t been many years that their fans can look back at fondly. The early 2000s represent one of those few times.

While many people will remember Kidd’s playmaking magic during that stretch, Jefferson made his fair share of highlight plays as well. He will likely go down as one of the best players to have never made an All-Star game. Jefferson a player that made plays on both ends of the court for some of the best Nets teams the franchise had seen, at least in the NBA.