Wendell
Ladner
Height: 6-5
Weight: 220
Birthdate: 10/6/48 (Died 6/24/75)
College: Southern Mississippi
Years With Nets: 2
Transactions: Acquired from Kentucky with Mike Gale in exchange for
John Roche (1/24/73)
A player better
known for his personality and theatrics than his basketball
prowess, Wendell Ladner's brief ABA career is the stuff of legend.
A fiery competitor, Ladner spent five seasons in the ABA, the last
two with the Nets. Not blessed with tremendous natural ability, the
6-5 forward was built more like a linebacker and had an off-court
reputation as an enforcer. He was one of the most popular players
in ABA history.
To impress his fans, Ladner would often comb his
hair during timeouts and always had a can of hair spray nearby. In
fact, one of the most popular giveaway promotions in ABA history
was a poster of Ladner posing wearing only his basketball shorts -
a direct take-off of a similar shot of Burt Reynolds that appeared
in Cosmopolitan during that era. More than just a playboy, Ladner
always played the game at 110 percent.
He was acquired by the Nets
in 1973 and quickly developed a close relationship with Julius
Erving. One of the ABA's toughest players, he never backed down
from a fight and protected "The Doctor" from any on-court
roughhousing.
He died in a plane
crash on June 24, 1975 at the age of 26. His number was retired
shortly thereafter.
Bill
Melchionni
Height: 6-2
Weight: 170
Birthdate: 10/19/44
College: Villanova
Years with Nets: 7
Transactions: Signed as a free agent (8/69). Retired
1975.
One of the great
point guards in ABA history, Bill Melchionni was the first Nets
player to be a league leader in a major statistical category. The
ABA's assists leader for three consecutive seasons (1970-71,
1971-72, 1972-73), the 6-2 guard was the franchise's first
legitimate star.
Melchionni joined
the Nets in 1969 after playing two years with the NBA's
Philadelphia 76ers and was a member of the Sixers 1966-67 NBA
Championship team. Prior to joining the professional ranks,
Melchionni enjoyed a standout career at Villanova, where he was
named MVP of the 1966 NIT. A prep star from Pennsauken, NJ, he is
recognized as one of the best high school players in state
history.
In his inaugural
campaign with the Nets, he led the team to its first ever playoff
berth. The following season, the additions of Coach Lou Carnesecca,
center Billy Paultz and Hall of Famer Rick Barry helped the Nets to
the playoffs again. For the 1971-72 season, Melchionni and Barry
led the Nets to the ABA Finals, where they fell to the Indiana
Pacers in six games. For his efforts, Melchionni was named to the
All-ABA First Team, along with Barry.
In both the 1972-73
and 1973-74 seasons Melchionni was slowed by injuries, but
none-the-less, was a member of the Nets 1974 ABA Title squad.
Melchionni retired after the 1974-75 season and served the team as
an assistant coach in 1975-76. Melchionni is still the franchise's
all-time assist leader with 2,778.
Julius
Erving
Height: 6-7
Weight: 200
Birthdate: 2/22/50
College: Massachusetts
High School: Roosevelt, NY
Years with Nets: 3
Transactions: Acquired from Virginia with Willie Sojourner in
exchange for George Carter, the rights to Kermit Washington and
cash (8/1/73); sold to Philadelphia (10/20/76)
The game of
basketball had never seen anything like him when Julius Erving
entered the professional ranks in 1971 when he joined the ABA's
Virginia Squires.
Although he had yet
to make a name for himself nationally, the rival NBA had
immediately taken notice of him. While Virginia could not afford to
keep Erving, the ABA didn't want to lose him to the NBA either, so
Nets' owner Roy Boe spearheaded a deal that kept Erving in the ABA
and gave him a national stage by bringing him home to the New York
area. The move proved to be a stroke of genius for the Nets and a
veritable savior for the struggling league.
After coming to the
Nets in 1973, Erving led Kevin Loughery's team to its first ABA
Title while averaging 27.4 points and 10.7 rebounds per game. He
took home regular season and post-season MVP awards as well. In
1974-75 Erving recorded similar numbers and earned MVP accolades
again. The only disappointment was a shocking first-round playoff
loss to the Spirits of St. Louis.
At the 1976 ABA
All-Star Game, Erving stole the show. In a half-time slam dunk
contest. Although there were five competitors, everyone knew it
would come down to a showdown between Erving and hometown favorite
David "Skywalker" Thompson. As both superstars (now Hall of Famers)
traded dunks, Erving saved his best for last. He started at the
foul line and began pacing in the opposite direction of the basket.
When he got to the opposite foul line, the crowd quieted because
they knew that they were going to see something never done before.
Then suddenly, Doctor J took off, trotted down the court, leaped
from the foul line and slammed the ball through the rim. The fans
erupted.
Later that year, the
Nets capped off their memorable run by winning the last ABA title
over the powerful Denver Nuggets. In game 1 of the series, before
19,034 fans in Denver, Erving tallied 45 points, including a game
winning 18-footer at the buzzer. In game 2, a 127-121 loss, he hit
for 48 points. For the series, he averaged 37.6 points and 14.2
rebounds and shot 60 percent from the field. Dr. J had set the
standard for basketball exellence for years to come.
John
Williamson
Height: 6-2
Birthdate: 11/10/52 (Died 11/30/96)
College: New Mexico State
Years With Nets: 7
Transactions: Acquired by Nets from Indiana in exchange for Bob
Carrington and two second round draft choices (4/11/78). Traded to
Washington with a second-round draft choice in exchange for Roger
Phegley (2/4/80).
One of the most
explosive and intense players in Nets' history, " Super" John
Williamson will forever be remembered by Nets' fans for his
outburst that clinched the 1976 ABA Championship. The date was May
13, 1976 in game six of the ABA Finals. A win and the Nets claim
their second title in three years. A loss and the series returned
to Denver for a deciding game seven. With 5:07 left in the third
quarter, a return trip West seemed assured as the Nets found
themselves trailing the heavily favored Nuggets by 22 points. But
John Williamson wouldn't let it happen.
In a gusty move,
Nets' Coach Kevin Loughery called for what was known in practice as
the "yellow press" a tactic that set the stage for Williamson's
heroics. Under the relentless full court pressure, the Nuggets
wilted and the Nets stormed back. In that final stanza, Williamson
poured in 16 points as the Nets took the fourth quarter 34-14, the
game 112-106 and the final title of the American Basketball
Association four games to two.
No one could have
forecasted such glory when Williamson originally showed up at the
Nets 1973 training camp as an unknown rookie from New Mexico State.
After barely making the team, the 6-2 guard languished on the bench
as the Nets opened the season with a 4-10 record. Originally
fearing he would be cut, Williamson instead was inserted in the
starting line-up and proved to be the scoring threat that the team
needed to take the pressure off Julius Erving. Over the next 22
games, with Williamson in the starting line-up, the Nets went 19-3.
The team kept up that momentum and went on to win the 1974 ABA
title as Williamson earned all-rookie team honors.
Following the
ABA-NBA merger, Williamson enjoyed success with the Nets and the
Indiana Pacers, putting up career numbers in 1977-78 (23.7 ppg).
Particularly memorable was a back-to-back explosion that saw
Williamson score 40 and 50 points in consecutive games versus
Atlanta and Indiana (1978). He closed out his NBA career in 1980
with the Washington Bullets. John Williamson passed away on
November 30, 1996 after a long battle with kidney
failure.
Drazen
Petrovic
Height: 6-5
Weight: 208
Birthdate: 10/22/64 (Died 6/7/93)
College: University of Zagreb
Years With Nets: 3
Transactions: Acquired from Portland in three-way deal which Denver
Nuggets sent Walter Davis to Blazers and Terry Mills to Nets, and
Nets sent Greg Anderson to Nuggets. Nuggets also recieved 1992
first-round draft choice from Nets and 1993 second-round draft
choice from Portland and Blazers recieved 1992 second-round draft
choice from Nuggets (1/23/91).
Drazen Petrovic was
born on October 22, 1964, and grew up in Sibenik, Croatia, a town
on the Adratic Sea consisting of 80,000 people. He began playing
first division basketball at age 15 in 1980 with "Sibenka."
In
1984, Petrovic moved and continued his career with "Cibona" in
Zagreb, Croatia, where he achieved his greatest triumphs, winning
one National Championship, three National Cups, two European Club
Championships and one European Winners Cup Championship. Petrovic's
most prolific day on the court was in 1985 in a Croatian league
game where he scored an amazing 112 points.
In the 1988-89 season,
he played for the Real Madrid Club in Spain, leading them to the
European Winners Cup and Spanish Cup Championships. In 1989,
Petrovic was a member of the European National Championship winning
team, and in 1990, he led the National Team to a Gold Medal at the
World Championships in Argentina.
Petrovic's three Olympic Medals
playing for the National Team were highlighted by winning the
Silver Medal for Croatia after a stellar performance against the
United States' "Dream Team" in Barcelona, Spain, in 1992. He was
also voted the European Player of the Year in 1986, 1989, 1992 and
1993, more than any other player in history.
Petrovic began his
brief but illustrious NBA career in 1989 with the Portland Trail
Blazers. Prior to the halfway point of his second season in
Portland, he was traded to the Nets as part of a three-team deal.
In his two full seasons with the Nets, "Petro" proved to the NBA
and the basketball world that he was one of the premier players at
his shooting guard position. In 1991-92, he led the Nets in scoring
with 20.6 average, and was a marksman from the outside, shooting
.508 from the floor, .808 from the free throw line and an
astounding .444 from three point range making 123 treys. He was
even better in 1992-93, averaging 22.3 points a game, 11th best in
the league, shooting .518, .870, and .449. In recognition of his
outstanding play during the 1992-93 season, Petrovic was selected
for the all-NBA Third Team.
Petrovic was
tragically killed in a car accident on the autobahn in June of
1993. He was widely mourned with services in both Croatia and the
United States. At the beginning of the 1993-94 season the Nets held
a special ceremony retiring his number three jersey.
Charles "Buck"
Williams
Height: 6-8
Weight: 225
Birthdate: 3/8/60
College: Maryland
Years With Nets: 8
Transactions: Selected after junior season by New Jersey Nets in
first round (third pick overall) of 1981 NBA Draft& Traded by
the Nets to the Portland Trail Blazers for center Sam Bowie and a
1989 first-round draft choice (June 24, 1989)& Rights renounced
by Trail Blazers (July 23, 1996)& Signed as free agent by New
York Knicks (July 26, 1996).
Considered one of
the most honored and respected players in the NBA, Buck Williams'
career as a New Jersey Net went permanently down in history books
this past season when the Nets retired his jersey number (52) on
April 11, 1999, at the Nets versus Knicks game.
In eight seasons as
a Net, Williams managed to become the franchises all-time leader in
11 of 17 categories. These categories include: points (14,440),
rebounds (7,576), free throws made (2,476), free throws attempted
(3,818), offensive rebounds (2,588), defensive rebounds (4,988),
games played (635), field goals made (3,981), minutes played
(23,100), field goals attempted (7,234), and personal fouls
(2,244).
In addition to his individual accomplishments, Williams
also helped lead the Nets to five playoff appearances from
1981-1986, where he averaged in double figures each
year.
Williams not only
held records within the Nets franchise, but also ranks among the
elite on the all-time NBA lists. He holds positions in four
different categories, fourth in games played (1,307), tenth in
rebounds (13,017), eighth in minutes (42,464), and 56th in points
(16,784). Williams is also one of only eight players in NBA history
to amass both 16,000 career points and 12,000 career rebounds.
Over his 17 seasons as a pro, Williams collected many honors and
accolades. While with New Jersey, he was named to the NBA
All-Rookie team, received the NBA Rookie of the Year award in 1982
and also made three All-Star game appearances in 1982, 1983, and
1986. He was named All-NBA second team in 1983 along with NBA
All-Defensive first team in 1990 and 1991, and NBA All-Defensive
second team in 1988 and 1992. Williams was also a member of the
1980 U.S. Olympic Team.
Williams retired
before the beginning of 1998-99 season. He and his wife Mimi have
two children, Julien and Malek.
