New Jersey Nets – From Way Downtown

NBA Rebels: Are They Worth the Trouble? 1995

On national television, Charles Barkley kicks in folding chairs, Scottie Pippen throws them. And these furniture guys are the Jordan Heirs?

Who is Derrick Coleman? 1993

Despite wearing a scowl on the court, instead of a smile like Magic Johnson, Coleman plays the game just as hard, just as smart, and with more finesse than just about any other power forward in the NBA.

Buck Williams: On the Rebound in the City of Roses, 1991

All of the time, Williams had been regarded as the consummate pro, a man who tried to make the best of a bad situation.

Mike Gminski: No Ands, Ifs, or Buts, 1989

Gminski almost never makes a bad pass or a goofy shot. How could he? Inherent, implied, in every move he makes are thousands and thousands of hours of solitary practice.

Bill Cartwright: Is He Mean Enough to Make It Big? 1980

Veterans do not like being outplayed by rookies, and they will do whatever they can—within the rules or without—to gain an advantage. Cartwright had the additional problem of being labeled, “a very nice guy.”

Brooklyn’s Finest: Bernard and Albert King, 1984

By all accounts, Albert is still the polite, gracious kid he always was. The pros haven’t changed him one iota. The same isn’t true for Bernard. He’s changed dramatically.

Bernard King Takes New York, 1985

King has forged a good life for himself back home and, in the process, given New York basketball the transfusion it desperately needed.

Sam Lacey: Time Passages, 1981

That’s Lacey. Nobody likes him, but nobody can find many bad things to say about him. Efficient, but anonymous

Super John Williamson: Nothing But Net, 1979

While Williamson was just one of a number of sideshows to Julius Erving’s main act during those winning seasons, he was now looked upon by his teammates as the Nets’ leader, the one to go to in clutch situations, and Williamson has proven that he thrives under those conditions.

Kenny Anderson: Eye Spy, 1995

“He’s one of the great young players in our league,” said Indiana coach Larry Brown, a former New York point guard himself. “He makes the other players better.”