​Over the decades, the Brooklyn Nets have built their evolving roster through a variety of strategies, with the front office shaping a notable level of success via the NBA draft. Many of the franchise’s standout players have joined the Nets either as direct selections in the annual draft or through trades arranged on draft day. But it isn’t only the franchise’s top stars who have arrived through the draft process; a number of prominent alumni have been selected by the team each offseason, with some colleges appearing more frequently than others on Nets rosters. An examination of players from different schools shows that both prestigious programs and smaller institutions have yielded valuable talent to the Nets over the years.
Turning the spotlight to one particular alma mater, let’s examine every player drafted by the Nets who hailed from the University of South Alabama. In Chicago, Illinois, during a game at the United Center, a moment is captured of Ben Simmons wearing No. 10 for the Brooklyn Nets, as he faced the Chicago Bulls in the NBA In-Season Tournament on November 3, 2023. By accessing the accompanying image, the user acknowledges the Getty Images license terms.
From the historical record: the Nets drafted a player in the 1984 NBA Draft in the fifth round as the 16th pick, 109th overall, who attended South Alabama. This player spent two seasons at South Alabama but did not ultimately play for the Nets. A subsequent entry notes a draft year of 1985, in the fifth round as the 15th pick, 108th overall, with four seasons at South Alabama, and again, he did not ultimately play for the Nets. All statistics and data mentioned are sourced from Basketball Reference.
This piece originally appeared on Nets Wire with the aim of highlighting every South Alabama player drafted by the Brooklyn Nets to support better search engine optimization.