The Long Island Nets return to Nassau Coliseum for the first time since 2020 on Wednesday, Nov. 10 and Friday, Nov. 12. The Nets, the NBA G League affiliate of the Brooklyn Nets, will play against the Capital City Go-Go for the team’s first two home games of the season.
The Nets will dedicate Wednesday’s game to Long Island’s frontline workers who helped lead the community through the early days of the pandemic and have continued to serve. This includes doctors, nurses, first responders, and other essential workers. Throughout the evening, the Nets will distribute authentic signed team jerseys in an on-court presentation to thank the local heroes.
“The Long Island Nets are proud to return to the Coliseum by honoring Long Island’s frontline workers,” said Alton Byrd, vice president of Growth Properties at BSE Global, parent company of the Long Island Nets. “These individuals are the embodiment of selflessness, and we applaud their dedication and service that has enabled the return of Long Island basketball.”
Some of the frontline workers who will be honored are:
Layla Qaabidh, a triage nurse at NewYork-Presbyterian Lawrence Hospital, who worked in the facility’s emergency department.
Dr. Selena Gilles, associate dean at New York University Rory Meyers College of Nursing, who administered vaccinations to vulnerable communities in the spring.
Jose Perpignan Jr., a New York City travel nurse who distributed personal protective equipment (PPE), offered grocery shopping and pharmacy pick-up for community members, while also working 12-hour nursing shifts. In April 2020, he also led a virtual town hall to demand healthcare access for underserved communities and PPE for healthcare workers.
At Friday’s game, the first 2,000 fans to arrive will receive a limited-edition Julius “Dr. J” Erving as Marvel’s Black Panther bobblehead.
Doors for both games open at 6 p.m. and both games start at 7 p.m. Fans are encouraged to wear blue to commemorate the LI Nets’ return to the Coliseum. Ten attendees of Wednesday and Friday’s games will be randomly selected to receive signed LI Nets apparel. Plus, at each game the first 200 children to visit the North End Zone during halftime will receive assorted LI Nets merchandise and an autograph and photo with the team’s mascot, Dale the Eagle.
Individual tickets for the 2021-22 NBA G League season are on sale now and can be purchased online at longislandnets.com and Ticketmaster.com.
Fans who are unable to attend LI Nets Opening Week at Nassau Coliseum can watch Wednesday’s game on ESPN+. Friday’s game will air on the YES Network app and online at NBAGLeague.com.
