Covered in tissue paper and nestled at the bottom of a box in the St. Joe’s Archives Collection is a cream-colored basketball jersey, its neck and sleeves ringed with crimson and gold ribbing.
The number 14 jersey was worn by Jameer Nelson ’04 for one of the most successful teams in St. Joe’s basketball history.
St. Joe’s Athletic Department donated the jersey to the Archives in 2014, according to Lesley Carey, library archivist.
During the 2004 season, Nelson posted 20.6 points per game, 4.7 rebounds and 5.3 assists. He was featured on the Feb. 16, 2004, cover of Sports Illustrated, with the headline, “Meet Jameer Nelson, the Little Man from the Little School that’s Beating Everyone.”
The Hawks ended the regular season 27-0. They earned a first-ever no. 1 seed for the St. Joe’s men’s basketball team in the NCAA East Rutherford Regional and went for a thrilling ride in the NCAA tournament.
On March 27, 2004, they lost to No. 2 seed Oklahoma State in the Elite Eight.
Nelson earned the 2004 Naismith College Basketball Players of the Year, an- annual award given to one player each year since 1969. Nelson is the only player from St. Joe’s to ever receive this award.
After graduating from St. Joe’s, Nelson went on to become the 20th pick in the first round of the 2004 NBA draft. He played with seven different NBA teams including the Orlando Magic, Dallas Mavericks, Boston Celtics, Denver Nuggets, New Orleans Pelicans and the Detroit Pistons.
Nelson hung up his basketball sneakers after the 2018 season. He now works as the assistant general manager for the Delaware Blue Coats in the NBA G League.
