Best Current Brooklyn Nets Players

The Brooklyn Nets are, without a shred of doubt, one of the best teams in the league. Having amassed a team of superstars, the Brooklyn Nets are a formidable force to be reckoned with and should be able to make a significant run for the NBA championship in the 2022-23 NBA season.

And although the 2021-22 NBA season ended poorly, with a first-round playoff exit, the future looks bright for the team.

But just who are the best current Brooklyn Nets players?

Below, we are going to look at the best players on the Brooklyn Nets right now and for the 2022-23 NBA season. This post is also being continuously updated with any new additions to the team, so be sure to check back as new players are added to the team.

Quick History of the Brooklyn Nets Franchise

The Brooklyn Nets are an NBA team based in Brooklyn, a borough of the famous city of New York City. Competing in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference, the Brooklyn Nets play their home games at Barclays Arena.

The franchise was established in 1967 as a charter franchise of the NBA’s rival league, the American Basketball Association (ABA). They played in New Jersey as the New Jersey Americans during their first season, before relocating to Long Island, New York, in 1968 and changing their name to the New York Nets.

During this time, the Nets won two ABA championships (in 1974 and 1976). In 1976, the ABA merged with the NBA, and the Nets were absorbed into the NBA along with three other ABA teams.

In 1977, the team returned to New Jersey and played as the New Jersey Nets from 1977 to 2012. In the summer of 2012, the team moved to Barclays Center in Brooklyn, becoming the first major sports franchise in the borough.

Best Former Brooklyn Nets Players

While we are going to review the best current Brooklyn Nets players and those for the 2022-2023 NBA season, it’s equally important to take a look at some of the former Nets players who shaped the history of the team.

Below are just a few of the best former Brooklyn Nets players to play for the team.

Jason Kidd

While the Brooklyn and New Jersey Nets had plenty of great players, perhaps none were as instrumental in the history of the franchise quite like Jason Kidd. The current head coach for the Dallas Mavericks, Jason Kidd led the New Jersey Nets to two NBA Finals appearances, however, he was unable to secure an NBA championship.

Playing the point guard position, Jason Kidd was a 10-time NBA All-Star, a five-time All-NBA First Team member, and a nine-time NBA All-Defensive Team member.

He won an NBA championship in 2011 as a member of the Dallas Mavericks and was a two-time gold medal winner in the Olympics with the U.S. national team in 2000 and 2008.

Jason Kidd was also inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. In October 2021, Kidd was honored as one of the league’s greatest players of all time by being named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team.

Vince Carter

Vince Carter played the shooting guard position and is a current basketball analyst for ESPN. He was an eight-time All-Star and a two-time All-NBA Team selection.

The only player in the history of the league to play 22 seasons and through four different decades, Vince Carter was known for his electrifying dunks, earning him the nickname “Vinsanity”.

Julius Erving

Perhaps the best player to play for the Nets franchise is none other than Julius Erving, a.k.a, Dr. J.  Regarded as one of the most influential basketball players of all time, Erving helped legitimize the American Basketball Association (ABA), and he was the best-known player in that league when it merged into the National Basketball Association (NBA) after the 1975–76 season.

Erving won three championships, four Most Valuable Player awards, and three scoring titles with the ABA’s Virginia Squires and New York Nets and the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers.

During his 16 seasons as a player, none of his teams ever missed the postseason. He is the eighth-highest scorer in ABA/NBA history with 30,026 points (NBA and ABA combined).

He was well known for slam dunking from the free-throw line in Slam Dunk Contests and was the only player voted Most Valuable Player in both the ABA and the NBA.

In fact, the basketball term of being posterized was first coined to describe his moves.

In 1993, Erving was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

In 1994, Erving was named by Sports Illustrated as one of the 40 most important athletes of all time and in 1996 Erving was honored as one of the league’s greatest players of all time by being named to the NBA 50th Anniversary Team.

In 2004, he was inducted into the Nassau County Sports Hall of Fame and in October 2021, Erving was again honored as one of the league’s greatest players of all time by being named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team.

Best Brooklyn Nets Players Right Now

While the Brooklyn Nets have a storied history, the franchise is experiencing an extremely bright future. With several key pieces on their roster, the Brooklyn Nets are expected to make a significant push to the NBA Finals in the 2022-2023 NBA season.

Below are some of the best players on the Brooklyn Nets right now.

Kevin Durant

Kevin Durant played one season of college basketball for the Texas Longhorns, and was selected as the second overall pick by the Seattle SuperSonics in the 2007 NBA draft.

He played nine seasons with the franchise, which became the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2008, before signing with the Golden State Warriors in 2016, winning consecutive NBA championships in 2017 and 2018.

After sustaining an Achilles injury in the 2019 finals, he joined the Nets as a free agent that summer. Durant is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time.

For the 2021-22 NBA season, Kevin Durant played 55 games, averaging 29.9 points per game, 7.4 rebounds, and 6.4 assists. With a player efficiency rating of 25.6, Durant is by far the best player to play for the Brooklyn Nets right now.

Kyrie Irving

Kyrie Irving is a Muslim basketball player and can be frequently seen rocking the afro.

Irving is one of the most prolific and adept basketball players in the league. Currently playing for the Brooklyn Nets, Irving would be named Rookie of the Year after being selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers with the first overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft.

Kyrie Irving played college basketball for famed program Duke and would win the Most Valuable Player Award in the NBA in the 2014 All-Star Game. In the 2016 NBA Finals, Irving would make the championship-winning three-point field goal to complete the Cavaliers’ comeback against the Golden State Warriors.

For the 2021-22 NBA season, Kyrie Irving played just 29 games but had a huge impact on the team. Averaging 27.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 5.8 assists, he would have a player efficiency rating of 21.4.

Seth Curry

Younger brother to the famed Steph Curry, Seth Curry played college basketball for one year at Liberty University before transferring to Duke. He is also the son of former NBA player Dell Curry. In addition, he currently ranks third in NBA history in career three-point field goal percentage.

While traded to the Brooklyn Nets in a blockbuster trade, he performed well in the 2021-22 NBA season, averaging 15 points per game, with 3.1 rebounds, and 3.6 assists, and a player efficiency rating of 13.7.