The Brooklyn Nets have a rich jersey history, featuring 52 numbers worn by over 600 players since their founding in 1967. This article highlights the significance of jersey number 55, worn by Dikembe Mutombo during the 2002-03 season.
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The Brooklyn Nets have 52 jersey numbers worn by over 600 different players over the course of their history since the franchise was founded in 1967 as a charter member of the American Basketball Association (ABA), when the team was known as the "New Jersey Americans".
Since then, that league has been absorbed by the NBA, with the team that would later become the New York Nets and New Jersey Nets before settling on the name by which they are known today, bringing their rich player and jersey history with them to the league of today.
To commemorate the players who played for the Nets over the decades wearing those 52 different jersey numbers, Nets Wire is covering the entire history of the franchise's jersey numbers and the players who sported them since the founding of the team.
Jersey number 55 was notably worn by Dikembe Mutombo during the 2002-03 season, contributing to the franchise's legacy.
Over 600 different players have worn jerseys for the Brooklyn Nets since the franchise's inception in 1967.
The franchise was originally known as the New Jersey Americans when it was founded in 1967.
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EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - JUNE 11: Dikembe Mutombo #55 of the New Jersey Nets goes up for a rebound against Tim Duncan #21 of the San Antonio Spurs in Game four of the 2003 NBA Finals at Continental Airlines Arena on June 11, 2003 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Nets won 77-76. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement.(Photo by: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
And for today's article, we will continue with the third of eight people to wear the No. 55 jersey, Hall of Fame big man alum Dikembe Mutombo. After ending his college career at Georgetown, Mutombo was picked up with the fourth overall selection of the 1990 NBA Draft by the Denver Nuggets.
The Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo native played the first five seasons of his pro career with Denver. He also played for the Atlanta Hawks, and Philadelphia 76ers before he was dealt to the (then) New Jersey (now, Brooklyn) Nets in 2002. His stay with the team lasted until he was cut in 2003.
During his time suiting up for the Nets, Mutombo wore only jersey No. 55 and put up 5.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game.
All stats and data courtesy of Basketball Reference.
This article originally appeared on Nets Wire: Nets jersey history No. 55 - Dikembe Mutombo (2002-03)