The Nets Once Almost Changed Their Name To Swamp Dragons

By Ryan Mayer

The Nets changed their name and location from New Jersey to Brooklyn prior to the 2012-13 season moving to their now current home in the Barclays Center. The Nets name has been around since the ABA days with Dr. J, but there was a time when the owners of the team considered changing the mascot.

A new piece from ESPN.com's NBA writer Zach Lowe highlights a nearly successful attempt to change the team's name to, wait for it, the Swamp Dragons. Yes, this was a dead serious consideration and even got all the way to logo, court and merchandise designs. The movement, spearheaded by then Nets president Jon Spoelstra, got all the way to the league owners vote before falling short.

According to the story, Spoelstra liked the Dragons nickname that was in play at the time for the new Toronto franchise (they chose the Raptors over Dragons and Huskies). Where the swamp part of the name comes from? Well, Spoelstra explained that to Lowe:

"The Dragon came up right away, but we needed something to identify it locally. I was sitting in my office with Jim Lampariello, our vice president, and I just said, "Every time I look out the window here, I see this swamp. And every time I think of swamps, I think of swamp rats. What about that?"

He just said, "I don't think that's very nice. What about Swamp Dragons?" I loved it. Dragons are mythical, and fun."

The team was trying to reportedly build off the success of the Hornets new logo and color scheme that had been introduced to rave reviews from kids everywhere.In case you're wondering, this is what the concept art for the name change looked like.

However, commissioner David Stern wasn't a fan of the idea.

"SPOELSTRA: David told me, "This is the stupidest f---ing idea I've ever heard."

O'GRADY: He did say that. It wasn't the first time he said something like that. I had an open-door policy on dumb ideas.

STERN: If they say I said that, I'm sure I did."

Despite his initial reservations, Stern allowed Spoelstra to bring the idea to the Nets team owners, who originally gave him the green light. However, as the league owners vote neared, word leaked out about the proposed change and the backlash caused one owner, David Gerstein, to get cold feet and vote against the change.

Thus, the Nets remained the Nets, eventually moved to Brooklyn and changed to the black and white color scheme we know today. We're all left to wonder, how much more fun would it have been to have a team called the Swamp Dragons?

Ryan Mayer is an Associate Producer for CBS Local Sports. Ryan lives in NY but comes from Philly and life as a Philly sports fan has made him cynical. Anywhere sports are being discussed, that's where you'll find him.