On May 11, 2010, the NBA approved the sale of controlling interest in the Nets franchise to Mikhail Prokhorov, a 6’8” self-made Russian billionaire oligarch playboy. The announcement came less than a month after the completion of the final New Jersey Nets season at the Izod Center, a franchise worst 12-70 campaign that saw an NBA record 0-18 start and the firing of Nets coach Lawrence Frank, the winningest coach in Nets NBA franchise history. At arguably the nadir of a fandom with many low points, Nets fans looked to Prokhorov, who Bill Simmons dubbed the “Mutant Russian Mark Cuban,” as their savior.
Prokhorov hasn’t produced the championship he promised in the first five years yet — he’s got two more chances, and has promised to punish himself by getting married if he doesn’t come through. From broken English braggadocio to the move to Brooklyn and Russian Presidential runs, we’re never bored with you, Mikhail.
We’d send him an e-card, but he doesn’t even use a computer. So on this, the day of after our leather anniversary, let’s take a look back at some of the more memorable moments of the past three years.
