Brooklyn/New Jersey Nets — Buck Williams (3rd, 1981)
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The draft hasn’t been kind to the Nets over the years. Brooklyn (previously New Jersey) has mostly acquired its star players through free agency (Kevin Durant, Julius Irving, Kyrie Irving) or via trade (Jason Kidd, Vince Carter, James Harden). Their two No. 1 overall picks wound up having solid, yet unspectacular careers (Derrick Coleman and Kenyon Martin). The best player they’ve ever drafted is perhaps Bernard King, who played for the Nets for just two years before going on to become a New York Knicks legend. In terms of drafted players who contributed most to the Nets, Buck Williams is head and shoulders above the rest. Williams was a three-time All-Star in New Jersey and missed just one game in his first six seasons.
