Welcome to 2024, as our NBA Tuesday miniseries continues with the Denver Nuggets, an original ABA franchise that made the leap to the NBA in 1976 and is the current reigning champion of professional basketball in North America. The team has had some amazing players in its 57-year history, so many of these names will be familiar, although there’s always a surprise or two in store in this space. Read on!

No. 10: Dikembe Mutombo, C—39.3 WS (1991-1996)

It’s tough to believe he only spent his first 5 NBA seasons in the Mile High City, because for many of us, the eternal image of him behind the 1994 playoff upset of the Seattle SuperSonics endures. But Deke’s legacy is secure in Denver: 3 All-Star nods, 3 times leading the NBA in blocks, and 2 times as our DPOY. His stats? 12.9 ppg, 12.3 rpg, and 3.8 ppg in the regular season and 11.8 ppg, 10.9 rpg, and 5.1 bpg in the playoffs. Yowza!

No. 9: Bobby Jones, PF—40.3 WS (1974-1978)

This one surprised us: The Secretary of Defense began his career in the ABA with the Nuggets before moving on to Philadelphia and greater fame. But three times in his four seasons with Denver, Jones topped his league in FG percentage and eFG percentage, while making 3 All-Star teams, too. His numbers with the Nuggets—14.8 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 3.5 apg, 2.0 spg, and 1.9 bpg in 324 regular-season games—reveal his versatility.

No. 8: Fat Lever, PG/SG—47.9 WS (1984-1990)

It’s hard to remember now just how good Lever was as a member of the Nuggets: he made 2 All-Star teams in a tough era for such an achievement, thanks to 17.0 ppg, 7.6 rpg, and 7.5 apg in 474 regular-season games with the team. The fact he grabbed more boards than he dished dimes is nuts, too. He was pretty consistent, too, in the postseason: 14.7 ppg, 7.1 apg, and 6.7 rpg. His career faded hard after leaving Denver, though.

No. 7: Nenê Hilário, PF/C—51.1 WS (2002-2012)

He was never an All Star in his career, so this represents more of a quantity-over-quality entry on this list: 12.4 ppg and 7.0 rpg in 555 regular-season contests. He did top the NBA in FG percentage and eFG percentage in his last full season with the Nuggets, though (2010-2011). His postseason stats weren’t much different: 10.8 ppg, 6.6 rpg, and 2.1 apg in 44 playoff games. His name change to the singular is his legacy.

No. 6: Carmelo Anthony, PF—53.5 (2003-2011)

The No. 3 pick overall in the 2003 NBA Draft, Melo never should have left Denver, but kids gonna be kids. We’re surprised he was only a 4-time All Star in his Mile High tenure, despite putting up 24.8 ppg, 6.3 rpg, and 3.1 apg over 564 games with the Nuggets—all starts. Maybe expectations were too high? Only once did the team reach the second round of the playoffs, too, in spite of his 24.5 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 3.0 apg, and 1.3 spg.

No. 5: Byron Beck, PF/C—55.0 WS (1967-1977)

Kudos to you if you even know who this guy is: an original Nugget. Twice an ABA All Star, he played just 1 season in the NBA after the team jumped to the established league. Overall, Beck posted 11.5 ppg and 7.0 rpg over 747 regular-season games, and he improved to 12.8 ppg and 7.4 rpg in the 66 playoff games he was in over his decade of play. Like Nenê, this is about quantity; honestly, we’d never heard of him, either, in truth.

No. 4: David Thompson, SG/SF—56.8 WS (1975-1982)

He’s in the Hall of Fame despite just a 9-season career, the first 7 years spent with Denver. Skywalker was a revelation held back by circumstance: in 498 games with the Nuggets, he delivered 24.1 ppg, 4.3 rpg, and 3.1 apg while dazzling audiences everywhere with his aerials and elevations. Remember, he played college ball at North Carolina State and was the favorite of a young kid named Michael Jordan. Legendary enough.

No. 3: Alex English, SF—84.2 WS (1980-1990)

One of the best players of the 1980s who was always underrated despite his Hall of Fame career, English led the NBA in scoring once (1982-1983) while making 8 consecutive All-Star teams. Overall with Denver, he posted 25.9 ppg, 5.6 rpg, and 4.4 apg in 837 regular-season games, while adding 26.1 ppg, 5.6 rpg, and 4.7 apg in 59 playoff games. Alas, the Nuggets rarely made waves in the postseason, so his legend suffered.

No. 2: Dan Issel, C—94.8 WS (1975-1985)

It feels like he had a whole career before arriving in Denver for the final season of the ABA, but Issel kept chugging along for another decade, nonetheless. Over 802 regular-season games with the Nuggets, he posted 20.7 ppg, 8.3 rpg, and 2.5 apg. In the postseason, Horse also managed 19.6 ppg, 8.3 rpg, and 2.7 apg in 66 playoff games with Denver. Strangely, he only made 2 All-Star teams in Denver (1976, 1977). So weird.

No. 1: Nikola Jokić, C—101.7 WS (2015-present)

He will just keep pulling away from the crowd on this list for as long as he wants. What else can we say here that we haven’t already said here and here? The Joker is a god among men these days. In his 630 regular-season games (so far), he’s averaged 20.5 ppg, 10.6 rpg, and 6.8 apg while making 5 straight All-Star games. In the playoffs? He’s even better: 27.5 ppg, 12.1 rpg, and 7.3 apg in 68 postseason games. Enjoy his brilliance.