Looking Back at the Best Game Debuts in Nets History

With the recent addition of new players to the Brooklyn Nets, it calls to mind the debuts of past players in the franchise's history. While some of the greatest athletes in a Nets uniform had to work their way to impressive performances, a select few made a remarkable impact right from the start.

The offseason has cooled off for the Nets after a historic draft, a pair of trades and giving contracts to a handful of returning players. All that's left is to see how the Cam Thomas situation will play out.

Whether it was a perennial Hall of Famer or a career role player, these five players stood out in their first games repping the Nets.

Kyrie irving

Irving debuted for the Nets on Oct. 23, 2019, in a loss against the Minnesota Timberwolves. The game went to overtime, and he did everything possible for the team, but fell short in a 127-126 defeat. Looking at his numbers, Irving scored 50 points, grabbed eight rebounds and dished out seven assists.

👀 @KyrieIrving goes off for 50 PTS, 8 REB, 7 AST in his @BrooklynNets debut! #KiaTipOff19 #WeGoHard pic.twitter.com/QQXCvDAp3V
— NBA (@NBA) October 24, 2019

Despite the game going to overtime, Irving only played 38 minutes to accomplish these numbers. He shot efficiently from the field, going 17-for-33 and he didn't turnover the ball once. This performance is definitely one of the best season openers in NBA history.

D'Angelo Russell

Going back to the 2017 regular season opener, Russell set the bar for what his two and a half years with Brooklyn would look like. It was in a 140-131 losing effort to the Indiana Pacers, but he showcased why he was taken with the 2nd overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft.

Russell had 30 points and five assists in his 30 minutes of playing time. The rest of the season did not look as impressive as his opening night, ending the season averaging 15.5 points per game, but he set the baseline for his all-star year in the 2018-19 season.

Julius Erving

Let's take a moment to reflect on a significant moment in basketball history. In 1973, Julius Erving was traded from the financially struggling Virginia Squires team to the New York Nets of the ABA. In his debut game, despite the team's 19-point loss, he showcased his exceptional talent, appearing to be the best player in the league.

"I just fell down on my knees and cried," Philadelphia 76ers forward Caldwell Jones said when he found out Erving was coming to the NBA.

Erving put up an incredible 42 points, 18 rebounds and four blocks in his first appearance with the Nets. This performance marked the beginning of three consecutive seasons in which he won the MVP award in the ABA.

Roy Hinson

In January of the 1987-88 season, the New Jersey Nets acquired Hinson, and he quickly became the team's best role player.

He scored 22 points, pulled down eight rebounds and blocked two shots in a 117-113 victory over the Phoenix Suns. 10 of his points came in the fourth quarter.

There may be some better first game performances out there, but Hinson was a midseason acquisition and a career 14.2 point per game scorer, so putting him on the list is fun as the most surprising debut.

James Harden

Harden was also traded to the Nets in a midseason move, just one season after Irving played his initial year with Brooklyn.

James Harden's debut with the Nets:

32 Pts
12 Reb
14 Ast
4 Stl
1 Blk

A new era in Brooklyn 👏 pic.twitter.com/KB3OVDTpo0
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 17, 2021

He was the final domino to complete the big three with Irving and Kevin Durant. In Harden's first appearance, he put up the best all-around debut performance in Nets history with a 32-point triple-double.

The excitement this game started among Brooklyn's fanbase was unreal. The exciting display did not lead to team success due to several reasons we won't get into, but this game and Harden's time as a Net provided many memorable outings.