Team:
Denver Nuggets
Sport: NBA Basketball
Background: The Denver Nuggets are
a National Basketball Association team based in Denver,
Colorado.
Founded: 1967, a member of the American
Basketball Association
Formerly known as: Denver Rockets
1967-1974
Home Arena: Pepsi Center
Uniform colors: Columbine Blue and
Gold (originally Midnight Blue, Red, and Gold)
Logo design: The words "Denver
NUGGETS" superimposed over a snowy mountain peak
Franchise History
One of 4 ABA teams that joined the NBA through
a league merger in 1976, the Denver Nuggets were one
of the basketball's most exciting franchises up until
the end of the 1980's, but have had a resurgence in
2003.
They were known as the Rockets for their first 7 years
of existence, and were very strong in their early
years. However, they tended to struggle in the postseason
and failed to make a championship game during this
span. They had a solid core of players led by Byron
Beck and Larry Jones, then later by Beck and Ralph
Simpson. During the 1969-1970 season, the team also
had a controversial rookie named Spencer Haywood.
Haywood was one of the first players to turn pro before
graduating college, and the NBA initially refused
to let him play in the league. Haywood averaged 30
points in his only ABA season, and then was allowed
to sign with the Seattle SuperSonics to start a productive
NBA career.
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In 1974, the team was renamed the Nuggets, a nickname
first used by a 1949-50 NBA franchise. With Larry Brown
coaching, they had their best seasons in team history
in their first two seasons as the Nuggets, with the
team making the ABA finals in 1975-76. They would get
no chances to win a league championship, as the ABA
merger occurred during the off-season.
Led by Dan Issel, Bobby Jones, and David Thompson, Denver
(and their infamous rainbow-colored jerseys) were quite
strong early on in the NBA, as they won division titles
in their first two seasons in the league, and missed
a third by a single game. However, neither of these
teams were successful in the postseason.
Basketball Hall of Famers
- Alex English
- Dan Issel
- David Thompson
Not to be forgotten
- Dikembe Mutombo
- Lafayette "Fat" Lever
Retired numbers
- 2 Alex English
- 33 David Thompson
- 40 Byron Beck
- 44 Dan Issel
External links
Official web site (
http://www.nba.com/nuggets/)
Hot Denver Nuggets Dancers (
http://www.nba.com/nuggets/dance/nuggetsdancers_200304.html)
Nuggets detailed history (
http://www.sportsecyclopedia.com/nba/denver/nuggets.html)
Official Summer League web site (
http://www.summerproleague.com/)
