Former Net Joe Johnson Nominated For the Hall of Fame

Former Brooklyn Nets guard/forward Joe Johnson was announced as a finalist for the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.

February 20, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Brooklyn Nets forward Joe Johnson (7) against the Los Angeles Lakers during the second half at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Former Brooklyn Nets guard/forward Joe Johnson was announced as a finalist for the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame for the first time since retiring, the Hall announced in a press release. The finalists will be announced on Feb. 9, and the 2026 class will be unveiled on April 4.

Johnson was acquired in a trade from the Atlanta Hawks in 2012, spending four-plus seasons with the Nets.

During his time in Brooklyn, the seven-time All-Star was known for his ability to come through during crunch time, knocking down several buzzer-beating game-winning shots. Whenever the Nets needed a bucket, they knew they could count on Iso-Joe, especially with his deadly crossover, ability to post up smaller defenders, and get defenders on his back hip.

The art of Joe Johnson.

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The only time Johnson made the All-Star team with the Nets was in 2014, with his other six selections coming in a Hawks uniform.

The Arkansas product was the lead scorer of a team featuring Deron Williams, Brook Lopez, Kevin Garnett, and Paul Pierce, though Lopez was hurt for the majority of the season during which all five players were together.

Johnson willed the Nets past the Toronto Raptors in a grueling seven-game first-round playoff series in 2014, averaging 21.9 points on 52.3% shooting. His most impressive performance may have come in a loss, however, as he went off for 32 points in Brooklyn's narrow 115-113 loss in Game 5.

He scored 26 of those points in the second half, with 18 of them coming in the third quarter, to help the Nets nearly come back from a deficit that grew as large as 26 points.

All in all, Johnson's poise and smooth ability to get a bucket was a stabilizing force in a locker room that got chaotic at times, especially when Pierce and Garnett were in town.

Johnson may not have been the box office superstar Brooklyn hoped to pair alongside Williams, as the Nets were pursuing Dwight Howard to become the face of the franchise shortly before making the trade for Johnson.

Still, Johnson's presence alongside D-Will in Brooklyn's backcourt still helped the franchise make waves in its first season since leaving New Jersey, as they came one game shy of winning 50 games.

Johnson's arrival gave a fanbase that was accustomed to missing the playoffs hope again, and that's why he'll always be remembered fondly by the fans who have rooted for this team through all the highs and lows.