The Long Island Nets celebrated their first game at NYCB LIVE, home of the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum by honoring Nets legend – and Long Island native – Julius Erving.
The Coliseum was home to the Nets when Dr. J’s legend truly took flight. In his three seasons with the franchise he captured three ABA MVP awards while averaging 28.2 points, 10.9 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 2.3 steals and 2.1 blocks per game. Erving led the Nets to ABA championships in 1974 and 1976, and his No. 32 was raised to the Coliseum rafters to hang alongside those championship banners.
The Nets also recognized Village of Hempstead Mayor Don Ryan – one of Erving’s first youth basketball coaches – with a Lifetime Achievement Award for his decades of community service.
On the court, the Nets tipped off their second season with their inaugural game at the Coliseum, a 115-99 win over the Fort Wayne Mad Ants. Isaiah Whitehead, on assignment to the G League from the Brooklyn Nets, led Long Island with 26 points. Kamari Murphy, Whitehead’s fellow Brooklyn native and former Lincoln HS teammate, had 21 points and 14 rebounds. Brooklyn Nets two-way contract Yakuba Ouattara scored 14 points.