Named the National College Player of the Year as a senior at the University of Cincinnati, Kenyon Martin was the first overall draft pick of the 2000 Draft, where, for the New Jersey Nets, he was the runner-up for the Rookie of the Year Award, losing to Mike Miller.  Jason Kidd would join Martin, and they helped reverse the fortunes of the Nets, who would make back-to-back NBA Finals, but his best season was 2003/04, which would also be his last in a New Jersey uniform.  He matched his 16.7 Points per Game average of the year before, but averaged 9.5 Rebounds and was chosen for the All-Star Game, the only one he would be selected for.

From Princeton of the Ivy League, Brian Taylor would become the starting Point Guard for the New York Nets, where he would dazzle fans on the way to winning the American Basketball Association Rookie of the Year Award.

In terms of overall talent, few could match Rick Barry.  Actually, the same could also be said about overall bad temperament, as few were as surly as the Basketball Hall of Famer.

As a rookie, Melchionni was a champion with the Philadelphia 76ers, where he provided reasonable effort off the bench.  He stayed there for two years and then plied his trade for Trenton in the Eastern League, where he was a starter, and he, remained in state joining the Nets of the then ABA.