The Nets came to Brooklyn in 2012, when Barclays Center opened in Prospect Heights. A few years later, Thaddeus Young has become the first of their players to call the borough home; he moved to Brooklyn Heights just in time for the 2015–16 season, which tipped off on October 28.
The move made sense for Young because the Nets plan to open a training facility in Brooklyn's Sunset Park early next year—making it convenient for him to get to both games and practices from his new digs, where he lives with his wife and kids. The power forward recently took time out after practice to tell us three of his favorite things about his adopted home.
1. The pace
“I am a Southern guy. I’m from Memphis, Tennessee. [New York City] is much busier. The people are very nice; they reach out and welcome you to the neighborhood. It's been a great experience for me, my wife and my kids.”
Young loves that boldface names come through his neck of the woods. “We get tickets to concerts, and we get to go enjoy ourselves and sometimes…hang out with those celebrities and interact,” he says. “For us to be able to represent Brooklyn with that name on our chest is huge.”
2. The attractions
“[I like] the Brooklyn Promenade, the Brooklyn Botanic Garden and the Brooklyn Museum. Who wouldn't want to go to the museum, especially if you have kids? Another place, in Brooklyn Heights, is Brooklyn Bridge Park…. [My wife] is always there with the kids.”
3. The food
Young calls 80-year-old Tom's Restaurant “a great place” and says his kids, ages 2 and 5, are big fans of Brooklyn's culinary options. “One of my kids loves cheese pizza, simply because of the Ninja Turtles.” They favor Brooklyn-based options at Barclays Center and elsewhere in the neighborhood. “They go to Junior's [for] cheesecake,” he says. “They love Shake Shack. What kid wouldn't want burgers and fries? I actually went there last night with my wife; we rolled on our Phunkee Ducks. She had an orange cream shake and I had a root beer float—the best.”
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More Brooklyn Fun
NEIGHBORHOOD GUIDES
Brooklyn Heights
Gorgeous row houses, tree-lined streets and stunning views of the Manhattan skyline draw visitors across the Brooklyn Bridge.
Prospect Height
Visit this diverse neighborhood for cool cocktail bars, striking architecture and the Brooklyn Museum’s vast trove of art.
Sunset Park
Venture off the beaten path for food from around the world, a historic cemetery and a chocolate factory.