The Brooklyn Nets just relocated to Brooklyn this year. They were created in 1966 as an ABA (American Basketball Association) team and was called the New Jersey Americans. They quickly changed the team name to the New York Nets after one year of play. The team really struggled at the beginning mostly because of a large amount of roster changes, including one season where they shuffled 23 players on and off the roster. Attendance was diminishing and the team desperately needed a new star. They almost got one in UCLA's Lew Alcindor, but he decided to sign with the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks. They got a star in 1970 when the team aquired Rick Barry from the Virginia Squires. Barry led them the their first ABA finals, but could not beat the dominant Indiana Pacers, losing 4 games to 2. In 1973, they aquired superstar Julius Erving from the Squires and won their first ABA title, knocking off the Utah Stars. Two seasons later, they won their second and the last ever ABA finals. In 1976, they moved to the NBA, but lost Erving for not giving him a raise. They still got top notch guard Nate Archibald from the Kansas City Kings though. Archibald broke his foot, a missed chance for the now New Jersey Nets. From 1981-1986 the Nets led by Darryl Dawkins, Otis Birdsong, Michael Ray Richardson, and Buck Williams got 4 seasons in a row above .500. But for the next four years (1986-1990), injuries would hit all the teams stars, and most of the roster too. In 90's the Nets began improving due a young trio of Drazen Petrovic, Kenny Anderson, and Derrick Coleman. However, once again, injuries plagued the three of them and the Nets struggled through the rest of the decade. In 2001, the Nets signed Jason Kidd, their first "floor leader". The team instantly turned into a title contender, winning 52 games and making it to the finals only to lose to the Bryant/O'Neal Lakers. The very next season, they took first in their division again and made it to the finals again, losing to the San Antonio Spurs. Their final seasons in New Jersey were failures, so they moved to Brooklyn. Their overall record is 1219-1705 (.417). Their best season was their 2001-2002 season, where they got 52-30 (.634) and their worst season was their 2009-2010 season, where they slumped to a 12-70 record (.146). They've retired 6 numbers. 3 (Drazen Petrovic), 4 (Wendell Ladner), 23 (John Williamson), 25 (Bill Melchionni), 32 (Julius Erving), and 52 (Buck Williams).