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Who are the top Denver Nuggets of all time? Here is our top 10 countdown:
10. Byron Beck: one of Denver’s first stars while still in the American Basketball Association (ABA), Beck played his entire decade-long career with the Nuggets and averaged 11.5 points and 7.0 rebounds per game while earning a pair of All-Star selections.
9. Marcus Camby: the 2006-2007 Defensive Player of the Year, Camby led the NBA in blocks for three consecutive seasons during six seasons in Denver while averaging a double-double and being named All-Defensive 4x.
8. Kiki Vandeweghe: a 2x All-Star in four seasons as a Nugget, Vandeweghe had three straight seasons of 20+ points per game, including a career-best 29.4 points per game in 1983-1984.
7. Dikembe Mutombo: one of the greatest defensive players in NBA history, Mutombo played his first five seasons as a Nugget, where he not only earned three All-Star selections, but also led the league in blocks for three consecutive seasons and was Defensive Player of the Year in 1994-1995.
6. Fat Lever: with 43 career triple-doubles, Lever was a do-it-all player during his prime, posting averages of 17.0 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 7.5 assists per game across six seasons in Denver to earn a pair of All-Star selections, as well as an All-NBA and All-Defensive nod.
5. Dan Issel: a hard-nosed big man who played a decade with Denver across both the ABA and NBA, Issel averaged 20.7 points and 8.3 rebounds per game as a Nugget for a pair of All-Star selections.
4. David Thompson: starting off his career as Rookie of the Year in 1975-1976 in the ABA, Thompson spent his first seven seasons with Denver and was an explosive scorer when healthy, putting up 24.1 points per game en route to being a 5x All-Star and 2x All-NBA selection.
3. Carmelo Anthony: an offensive force in his prime, Anthony averaged 20+ points in each of his seven-and-half seasons in Denver (24.8 points per game average), earning four All-Star and All-NBA selections in the process.
2. Nikola Jokic: already one of the best passing big men ever, Jokic has won consecutive MVPs since joining the Nuggets in 2015-2016, as well as being a 5x All-Star and 4x All-NBA player with career averages of over 20 points, 10 rebounds, and 6 assists per game.
1. Alex English: the leading scorer in franchise history (and for the entire NBA in the 1980s), English was an underrated player who earned eight consecutive All-Star selections with three All-NBA nods and the 1982-1983 scoring title while averaging 25.9 points per game in his 11 seasons with Denver.
Agree/Disagree? As always, debate/discuss, and leave your thoughts and comments below.
Note: All statistics as of time of publication.
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