The Denver Nuggets were founded in 1967 and were called the “Denver Rockets” at the time. The franchise won its first ever NBA title in the 2023 season. The team has always been competitive and has made 37 playoff appearances. There have been many great players who have played for the Nuggets franchise. In this article, we will have a look at the 10 best players in the history of the Denver Nuggets franchise.
10. Bobby Jones
Bobby Jones was a versatile NBA player who was great in both offense and defense. He played four seasons with the Denver Nuggets, averaging 14.8 points, 8.6 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.9 blocks per game. “The Secretary of Defense” had a player efficiency rating of 19.7 and he ranks second in franchise history in Box plus/minus and win shares.
9. Marcus Camby
Marcus Camby began his NBA career with the Toronto Raptors and after playing two seasons with them, he spent four years with the New York Knicks. Camby became a member of the Denver Nuggets in 2002 and averaged 10.1 points, 11.1 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.1 steals and 3.0 blocks per game during his six seasons with them. “The Camby Man” ranks second in franchise history in blocks, seventh in rebounds and eighth in VORP.
8. Nenê
Nenê was the seventh overall pick in the 2002 NBA Draft by the Denver Nuggets. He played ten seasons with the Nuggets franchise, averaging 12.4 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.3 steals and 0.9 blocks per game, with a 17.4 player efficiency rating. The Brazilian was never a superstar, but he was loyal to the team and did his job. Nene is in the top 10 in franchise history in points, rebounds, steals, blocks, win shares and VORP.
7. Dikembe Mutombo
Dikembe Mutombo was the fourth overall pick by the Denver Nuggets in the 1991 NBA Draft. He played five seasons with the franchise and became one of the best defensive players in the sport. “Mt. Mutombo” averaged 12.9 points, 12.3 rebounds and 3.8 blocks per game. He was the blocking champion for three straight seasons and without a surprise, Mutombo is the player with the most blocks in Nuggets history. He also ranks fourth in rebounds.
6. Fat Lever
After spending the first two seasons with the Portland Trail Blazers, Fat Lever became a member of the Denver Nuggets and played six seasons with them. During his tenure in the Nuggets franchise, Lever averaged 17 points, 7.6 rebounds, 7.5 assists and 2.5 steals per game, with a 19.1 player efficiency rating. He is the all-time franchise leader in steals, ranks second in assists, eighth in points, tenth in rebounds and fourth in VORP.
5. Carmelo Anthony
Anthony was the third overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft by the Denver Nuggets. He played eight seasons with the team, averaging 24.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.1 steals per game. “Melo” ranks third in the franchise history in points, eighth in steals and seventh in Value Over Replacement Player.
4. Dan Issel
Dan Issel was not that good at the defense but was amazing on the offense. During his ten seasons with the Denver Nuggets, Issel averaged 20.7 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.0 steals and 0.6 blocks per game and had a player efficiency rating of 21.1. He is the franchise’s all-time leader in rebounds and win shares and is second in points.
3. David Thompson
David Thompson was the first overall pick in both the 1995 ABA Draft and the NBA Draft. He eventually signed with ABA’s Denver Nuggets. Thompson averaged 24.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.1 steals and 0.9 blocks per game in seven seasons with the Denver Nuggets. “Skywalker” had a player efficiency rating of 20.4 and 56.8 win shares, including a VORP of 19.6. He ranks fourth in the franchise’s history in points.
2. Alex English
Alex English began his NBA career with the Milwaukee Bucks and then went on to play with the Indiana Pacers. He joined the Denver Nuggets in 1980 and became a true icon for them. English played eleven seasons with the Nuggets and averaged 25.9 points per game, 5.6 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.0 steals. He is the all-time leading scorer in franchise history in points (21,645) and ranks second in assists. English also ranks in the top five in rebounds, steals, win shares, and value over replacement players.
1. Nikola Jokic
Nikola Jokic is arguably the best player in the history of the Denver Nuggets. The Serbian player started playing for the Nuggets in 2015 and has been making history since then. “Joker” has been averaging 19.9 points, 10.3 rebounds, 6.3 assists and 0.7 blocks per game. He has a player efficiency rating of 27.3, which is the second highest ever behind Michael Jordan. Jokic has been named the MVP twice. He led the Denver Nuggets to their first ever NBA championship in the 2022–23 season, where he was the Finals MVP. Jokic is the all-time leader in VORP and wins shares.
Also Read: Active NBA Players Who Have Scored More Than 20,000 Points
