Courtesy of the Nets
By CHRISTIAN SPENCER | news@queensledger.com
Biggie Smalls, New York City’s undisputed king of rap and the Brooklyn Nets’ most celebrated son, claimed center court on Veterans Day 2025.
The Nets turned their home opener against the Toronto Raptors into a full-throated tribute to the Brooklyn-bred legend, tightening an already close partnership with the Notorious B.I.G. estate in a night of lights, lyrics, and unapologetic borough pride.
For Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment’s executive vice president of marketing, Andrew Karson, the connection is not just marketing; it’s deeply ingrained in its DNA.
“From the moment the Nets arrived in Brooklyn, we knew our brand had to reflect the borough’s true essence and creative spirit… that connection to hip-hop and to Brooklyn culture is a reflection of where we come from and who we represent,” Karson said.
The Brooklyn Nets have consistently celebrated Biggie Smalls over the years, starting with a first 2017 “Biggie Night” at Barclays Center, where Sean “Diddy” Combs helped retire his No. 72 jersey and his family joined the tribute, with the banner now permanently hanging in the arena.
In the 2018–19 season, the team introduced a Coogi-inspired “Brooklyn Camo” City Edition uniform as part of a broader cultural celebration.
The Nets followed that in 2019–20 with a white Brooklyn Camo jersey emblazoned with “BED-STUY,” accompanied by a tribute mural made from Biggie’s lyrics and a music education program in his hometown.
In this season, for the 2025–26 season, the Nets brought back the black version of the Brooklyn Camo uniform.
Inside Barclays Center, Biggie’s beats thumped through the rafters while career highlights blazed across the Jumbotron.
Lil’ Kim owned the halftime stage, Christopher Jordan Wallace watched from courtside alongside his late father’s peers, and the first 10,000 fans clutched limited-edition bobbleheads like holy relics that are selling on average for $50 on eBay. Bed-Stuy snapbacks waved, No. 72 jerseys glowed under black lights, and Coogi sweaters turned the concourse into a 1990s time capsule.
“I felt like it was amazing. There were a lot of Brooklynites in there today — a lot of people from the neighborhood, which was great, especially from his neighborhood. I saw a lot of people from Bed-Stuy in there,” Stephanie Persaud, a Brooklyn-based influencer known as “guyanese__jumbie2” who owns Waisted Beauty Bar.
Courtesy of the Nets
Those who arrived late settled for selfies with a giant bobblehead replica stationed at the gates.
The franchise paused to remember two recently lost icons: Michael Ray Richardson, the Nets’ defensive dynamo from the late 1970s and early 1980s, who died on November 11, 2025, at 70 after a prostate cancer diagnosis, and Voletta Wallace, Biggie’s mother, who passed on February 21, 2025, at 78.
A video tribute saluted her decades of work with the Christopher Wallace Foundation.
Karson insisted the homage runs deeper than merchandise.
“Our approach is rooted in collaboration and authenticity… our goal is to create experiences that showcase the people and culture of Brooklyn,” he said. “Biggie represents everything that makes Brooklyn iconic… To honor him through Biggie Nights is to celebrate the borough itself.”
Even as the Raptors pulled away for a 119–109 victory, with GloRilla cheering on her boyfriend, Brandon Ingram, from the front row, the scoreboard felt secondary.
The Nets were making a louder statement. Black culture isn’t a style to adopt, but it’s the foundation.
“Black culture isn’t a style to adopt—it’s part of the foundation of Brooklyn’s cultural identity,” Karson said.
The night, he added, was built to bridge generations.
“While younger fans may not have grown up with Biggie, they feel his influence… By blending legacy with innovation, we create moments that connect generations.”
When the final buzzer sounded, the message lingered in the air with the last notes of “Hypnotize.”
“We hope fans walk away from Biggie Nights with a genuine feeling of connection—to our team, to Brooklyn, to Biggie, and to the community around them,” Karson said.
In a league of fleeting slogans, the Nets chose permanence. The brand begins and ends with the king, who never left the borough.
“I want them to know that Brooklyn is here. We’re here to stay. And this is where it starts. This is our stomping ground, and we’re not moving. We’re only going up from here as a unit,” Persaud said. “Barclays’ building a bond when they do that, between everybody in Brooklyn. So even if you don’t know each other, you’ll get to know each other that day.”
