Brook Lopez has been a prolific shot blocker, and also the best in Brooklyn Nets history.
Big men with big block numbers in Brooklyn and New Jersey
The Brooklyn Nets began life in New Jersey, and in the ABA. Then known as the New York Nets, the franchise joined the NBA in the 1976-77 season. That means when it comes to career numbers, there is a mix of ABA and NBA basketball in the mix. However, the NBA did not start recording blocks as a stat until the 1973-74 season, and every player in the Nets’ top five is an NBA-era Net. Here they are, starting with a guy who changed his game after leaving the franchise.
Playing in both New Jersey and Brooklyn, Lopez made his only All-Star Game appearance (2013) with the franchise. In the early days he was a traditional big center, piling up buckets, boards, and blocks. His final season in Brooklyn showed a sign of what was to come with the Lakers and Bucks, as Lopez hoisted 387 3-pointers – after entering the year with 31 career attempts. Even though his game has evolved to include more shooting, shot blocking has remained a top skill for Lopez: He’s averaged more than two blocks per game in five seasons throughout his career, including the last two.
They called Johnson “The Fly Swatter” because he had one strong suit on the court: He was an all-time shot blocker, especially with the New Jersey Nets. Johnson averaged 3.2 blocks or more in his first three seasons with the Nets, once leading the NBA in blocks (3.4; 1977-78). He later followed that with another two-league leading seasons playing for the Spurs. Johnson returned to New Jersey in 1984-85 when he was 36, and still managed to average 1.2 blocks per game in only 12.3 minutes.
Williams was a good shot blocker and profiled as an excellent defensive player. He averaged 1.1 blocks per game over eight seasons with the Nets, also chipping in 0.9 steals and 7.9 defensive rebounds per game. Williams made three All-Star Games as a Net and won Rookie of the Year. Though he played nearly as many years with Portland, the Nets are the team that retired Williams’ number.
Gminski, like Williams, also played for the Nets throughout the 1980s. How did anybody get to the bucket with these two on the court? Gminski was coming off the bench early in his career, and in 1982-83, he blocked 1.5 shots per game in 15.7 minutes. Later Gminski became a starter and in his final three seasons with the Nets he averaged over 16 points per game.
Heavy expectations come with being a No. 1 overall pick, and Coleman delivered stats to meet them after he debuted with the Nets in 1990. In five seasons with the team, he averaged 19.9 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per game. Coleman was Rookie of the Year, made an All-Star Game, and twice earned All-NBA Third Team honors.
