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Every single NBA team’s Mount Rushmore of stars

By Maxwell Ogden

Apr 2, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade (3) and Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) look on in the first quarter at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 2, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade (3) and Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) look on in the first quarter at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports /
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Brooklyn Nets Mount Rushmore, Jason Kidd
Jason Kidd – Brooklyn Nets Mount Rushmore (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /

The Mount Rushmore of the Brooklyn Nets

  • Rick Barry
  • Julius Erving
  • Jason Kidd
  • Buck Williams

The Brooklyn Nets have a rich history that includes time in New Jersey, New York, and the ABA. Nevertheless, the four players who are carved into the Nets’ Mount Rushmore aren’t very difficult to determine.

That all starts with the player who led the Nets to the most significant success of the franchise’s existence: “Dr. J.” Julius Erving.

Erving was a dominant force in the ABA, winning two championships, two Playoffs MVP awards, and three regular-season MVP honors. He achieved all of that while playing for the New York Nets, which makes him the easiest selection possible.

Erving was the ABA’s greatest player, as well as the No. 1 player in Nets history—and, as such, he had his No. 32 jersey retired by the Nets.

Next on the list is Jason Kidd, who led the Nets to back-to-back NBA Finals appearances in the early 2000s. He was a perennial MVP candidate in New Jersey, leading the team as a world-class facilitator and elite defensive ace.

Kidd’s leadership spearheaded the Nets’ return to prominence, and his play on the court inevitably led to his No. 5 jersey being retired by the organization.

The other two players to make the list are Rick Barry and Buck Williams. Barry made back-to-back All-ABA First Team appearances as a member of the New York Nets, and Williams led the franchise to relevance in the early 1980s, when little else inspired faith.

For perspective: Williams leads the franchise in all-time games played, minutes played, and rebounds, as well as ranking second all-time in scoring.

Next: What Could've Been?