SUMMARY
- The Denver Nuggets have a total of eight jersey numbers retired.
- One of them includes No.6 of the late great Bill Russel (retired league-wide).
The Denver Nuggets were one of the best teams around since the start of the NBA and before the merger took place. They were initially called the Denver Larks before they started playing in the ABA. However, before appearing for their first season, they changed their name to the Rockets. Denver became the “Nuggets” in 1974. This team was probably one of the biggest teams in the ABA before the merger took place.
Eventually, in 1976, the Nuggets were one of the few teams to join the NBA after the merger. The Nuggets have since accommodated several athletes who dominated the floor over the years. Currently, he holds ownership of multiple division banners from the NBA and ABA. Their latest playoff run resulted in their first-ever conference title and NBA Championship all thanks to Nikola Jokic. But before this legend, there were a few others who paved the way for the franchise’s successful history.
The Nuggets have retired 8 jersey numbers
The Nuggets have only recently become a top contender for the title under Jokic’s reign. While Jokic and his teammate, Jamal Murray are both worthy of having their numbers retired by the team in the future, Carmelo Anthony may also eventually have his jersey hanging above the bleachers at the Ball Arena.
Before the 2000, 2010, and 2020 eras of the team, there were a few notable players who led the league as players on various occasions. They were a big part of why the Nuggets have multiple divisional banners hung up. The Nuggets have retired eight jersey numbers. One of them included No.6 which belonged to Bill Russell.
While Russell did not play for the Nuggets, the NBA decided that teams retired his number in honor of him following his death. Here is a list of the other seven individuals who were honored by the team.
1. Alex English (No.2)
Alex English played for the Denver Nuggets for ten seasons between 1980 and 1990. Interestingly, he was one of the NBA’s best scorers finishing with a total of 25,613 points. English led the league in scoring during the 1982-83 season.
Additionally, he managed to earn all eight of his All-Star selections during his stint with the Nuggets. He was one of the greatest players to have never won an NBA championship, but his work on the court will be cherished forever.
2. Fat Lever (No.12)
This individual also happens to be one of the English’s former teammates. Lafayette Lever, otherwise known as Fat Lever played for the Nuggets between 1984 and 1990. He was also an all-time leader in various categories within the franchise.
The 2x All-Star concluded his career by recording the second most assists by a Nuggets player, behind English, who ranked No.1. He was one of the team’s top defensive stars as well, earning himself an All-NBA Defensive Second Team selection in 1988.
3. David Thompson (No.33)
David Thompson was popularly known as the “Skywalker” during his time in the league. He played for the Nuggets between 1975 and 1982 before moving on to the Seattle Supersonics. Thompson was given the nickname because of his ability to leap, and as Michael Jordan said, he popularised the Vertical Leap.
The Skywalker joined the Nuggets during one of the ABA’s final seasons and won the Rookie of the Year award in 1975. Thompson went on to become a 4x NBA All-Star, an All-Star Game MVP, and an All-NBA player.
4. Dan Issel (No.44)
This individual is someone who is held close to the heart of the Nuggets franchise. Dan Issel was a player, a coach, and a general manager of the team. Issel played for 10 seasons with the Nuggets between 1975 and 1985. He was present with the team during the merger just like Thompson.
He averaged an incredible 22.6 points during his entire career while putting up 20.4 points solely during his time with the Nuggets. Issel was one of the best scorers in the league while the ABA existed. After his playing days, he became a head coach for the team and then transitioned into the franchise general manager.
5. Dikembe Mutombo (No.55)
Dikembe Mutombo is probably the most popular athlete on this list. He is known as arguably one of the best defensive athletes the NBA has ever had the pleasure of accommodating. After 18 seasons, he recorded the second most blocks in NBA history with 3,289 in total.
His stint with the Nuggets was fairly short-lived. They drafted him as the 4th overall pick in the 1991 NBA Draft. With them, he averaged 12.9 points, 12.3 rebounds, and 3.8 blocks per game. It wasn’t until he left the Nuggets that his career took off, but he was still one of the top athletes of his time. He played for five seasons with the team.
6. Byron Beck (No.40)
Byron Beck’s career did not last too long after the merger. He played for the team between 1967 and 1977 before retiring. However, he was a top-tier player on Denver’s roster during his time.
He was named an ABA All-Star twice during his career while recording 8,603 points, 5,261 rebounds, and 978 assists in total between those seasons. He wasn’t the most gifted athlete but he had a knack for rebounding and the hook-shot.
7. Doug Moe (No.432)
Much like Dan Issel, Doug Moe had a long history with the Nuggets. As a player, he did not play for the Nuggets but he had a successful career in the ABA. He won a championship in 1969 while becoming a 3x ABA All-Star with an ABA First Team as well as a Second Team selection.
Moe had three separate stints with the Nuggets as a coach, one between 1974 and 1976, his second between 1980 and 1990, and his third between 2003 and 2008. As a coach, he was named the NBA’s Coach of the Year in 1988 and was given a Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018.