1968–69 New York Nets season

1968–69 New York Nets season
Head coach	Max Zaslofsky
Arena	Long Island Arena
Results
Record	17–61 (.218)
Place	Division: 5th (Eastern (ABA))
Playoff finish	Did not qualify
Stats at Basketball Reference

The 1968–69 New York Nets season was the first season of the Nets in New York and second overall season in the American Basketball Association (ABA). After one year in New Jersey, the team elected to play their games at Commack Arena in New York, the same place that they had tried to use for their one-game playoff against the Kentucky Colonels that they forfeited due to unplayable conditions. Low attendance plagued the team at times, with the October 29 game drawing only 384 people to see the Nets play the Denver Rockets. Only 249 attended the game played on December 25, 1968, against the Rockets. The December 27 game was notable for a collision between Ken Wilburn and Rick Barry that cost Barry the rest of his season due to injury. Factors for the low attendance ranged from a lack of star power to the condition of the court, which was over the rink due to the Arena doubling as a hockey arena.

Draft picks

Player	School/Club Team
Dick Cunningham	Murray State
Rodney Knowles	Davidson
Don Smith	Iowa State
Steve Adelman	Boston College
Eddie Biedenbach	North Carolina State
Ron Gruziak	Duquesne
Pete ODea	St. Peter's
Bill Soens	Miami (FL)
Bill Butler	St. Bonaventure
John Chamberlain	C. W. Post
Tony Koski	Providence
Bill Langheld	Fordham
Art Stephenson	Rhode Island
Harry Laurie	St. Peter's

Roster

1968–69 New York Nets roster

Players

Coaches

Pos. No. Player Height Weight DOB From C 20 Dan Anderson 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 230 lb (104 kg) 1943-02-15 Augsburg PF 32 Tom Bowens 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1940-07-07 Grambling State SG 22 Steve Chubin 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 200 lb (91 kg) 1944-02-08 Rhode Island PF 8 Ollie Darden 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 235 lb (107 kg) 1944-07-28 Michigan C 30 Wilbert Frazier 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1942-08-24 Grambling State C 10 Tom Hoover 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 230 lb (104 kg) 1941-01-23 Villanova SF 32 Tony Jackson 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 200 lb (91 kg) 1942-11-07 St. John's PF 10 Stew Johnson 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1944-08-19 Murray State C 42 Rod Knowles 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 215 lb (98 kg) 1946-02-27 Davidson SF 27 Tony Koski 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 215 lb (98 kg) 1946-06-26 Providence C 9 Manny Leaks 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 225 lb (102 kg) 1945-11-27 Niagara SF 27 Leary Lentz 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 200 lb (91 kg) 1945-02-23 Houston PG 3 Bob Lloyd 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 184 lb (83 kg) 1946-01-03 Rutgers PF 20 Randolph Mahaffey 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1945-09-28 Clemson SG 22 Maurice McHartley 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1942-08-01 North Carolina A&T SG 22 Ron Perry 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1943-12-29 Virginia Tech SF 4 Walt Simon 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 200 lb (91 kg) 1939-12-01 Benedict PG 33 Willie Somerset 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) 170 lb (77 kg) 1942-03-17 Duquesne SG 40 Levern Tart 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 195 lb (88 kg) 1942-06-01 Bradley SG 27 Bob Verga 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1945-09-07 Duke PF 11 Hank Whitney 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 230 lb (104 kg) 1939-04-28 Iowa State SF 10 Ken Wilburn 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 195 lb (88 kg) 1944-06-08 Central State PG 33 Willie Worsley 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) 175 lb (79 kg) 1945-11-13 UTEP

Head coach Max Zaslofsky Legend (DP) Unsigned draft pick (FA) Free agent (S) Suspended Injured Roster

Playoffs

Main article: 1969 ABA playoffs

• The Nets did not qualify for the playoffs this year.