Brooklyn Nets · Franchise era 1 of 7
Dr. J and the ABA Nets: the Brooklyn Nets story
Franchise era
1967–68—1975–76
Dr. J and the ABA Nets
Brooklyn Nets
The story in one sentence
Erving made the New York Nets the ABA's signature attraction and led championships in 1974 and 1976.
Two titles before the merger
Julius Erving, Brian Taylor and Bill Melchionni gave the era its recognizable core.
Its ending created the conditions for finding footing in new jersey.
Timeline
How it unfolded
The foundation
The franchise context
The Nets span ABA brilliance, New Jersey's Kidd-led Finals teams and Brooklyn's repeated superstar swings—a franchise often transformed by bold bets and their consequences.
1967–68—1975–76
Dr. J and the ABA Nets
Erving made the New York Nets the ABA's signature attraction and led championships in 1974 and 1976.
After 1975–76
What came next
The NBA transition was costly, but Williams's consistency and the Petrović–Coleman teams eventually restored promise.
The core