If you asked a Denver basketball fan ten years ago who the greatest player in franchise history was, you’d get a lot of polite arguments. Some would point to the smooth, high-scoring Alex English. Others would swear by the ABA toughness of Dan Issel or the "Skywalker" athleticism of David Thompson.
Now? Those debates are mostly dead.
The 2023 championship changed everything. It didn't just give the city its first ring; it provided a definitive answer to a question that had been floating around the Mile High City for nearly half a century. When we talk about all time nuggets players, the conversation starts and ends with a 7-foot Serbian who was drafted during a Taco Bell commercial.
But a franchise is more than just its best player. It’s a weird, colorful tapestry of ABA pioneers, 1980s scoring machines, and the "Thuggets" era that defined the early 2000s.
The Joker Takes the Crown
Nikola Jokic is a bit of an anomaly. He doesn't jump high. He doesn't look like a Greek god. Honestly, he looks like he’d rather be racing horses in Sombor than playing game seven of a playoff series. Yet, he is statistically and tangibly the most dominant force to ever wear the jersey.
By the start of 2026, Jokic has already rewritten the record books. He’s passed Dan Issel and Alex English in almost every meaningful category including rebounds and assists.
What makes him the clear-cut number one isn't just the three MVP trophies. It's the way he revolutionized the center position. We’ve seen great passing bigs before, but nothing like this. He sees the floor like a point guard trapped in a heavyweight's body.
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Why the Gap is So Large Now
- The Ring: English and Issel never got Denver to the mountaintop. Jokic did.
- Efficiency: His advanced stats (PER and Win Shares) aren't just Nuggets records; they’re among the best in NBA history, rivaling Wilt Chamberlain and Michael Jordan.
- Versatility: He is the only player in history to lead the league in total points, rebounds, and assists in a single postseason.
The Scoring Royalty of the 80s
Before Jokic, the gold standard was Alex English. If you weren't watching basketball in the 1980s, it's hard to explain how effortless he made scoring look. He led the entire NBA in total points during that decade. Not Bird. Not Magic. English.
He had this high, sweeping release on his jumper that was basically unblockable. He played 837 games for Denver, a record that stood for decades. He was the king of the "Enver" Nuggets—teams that would score 130 points and give up 128.
Then there's Dan Issel. "The Horse."
Issel was a bridge between the ABA and the NBA. He was rugged, blue-collar, and played through everything. He's still top three in almost every scoring and rebounding category. People forget how much of a legend he was in Denver, not just as a player, but later as a coach and GM. He’s the soul of the franchise.
The Skywalker and the Defenseless 80s
You can’t mention all time nuggets players without talking about David Thompson. He was Michael Jordan before Michael Jordan. Literally. Jordan actually asked Thompson to introduce him at his Hall of Fame induction.
Thompson's 73-point game in 1978 is still the stuff of legend. He had a vertical that felt like it defied physics. Sadly, his peak was short due to off-court struggles, but at his absolute best, he might have been the most talented person to ever put on the uniform.
The Defensive Anchors
While the Nuggets were mostly known for offense, they had two guys who actually enjoyed guarding people:
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- Dikembe Mutombo: The finger wag. The 1994 upset over the Sonics. He’s the reason Denver had an identity in the 90s. He averaged nearly 4 blocks a game in a Nuggets jersey.
- Fat Lever: Maybe the most underrated player in NBA history. He was a 6'3" guard who averaged triple-doubles before it was cool. He's the franchise leader in steals, and honestly, if he played today, he’d be a social media darling.
The Carmelo Era: A Complicated Legacy
We have to talk about Melo. It’s unavoidable.
For a lot of fans who grew up in the 2000s, Carmelo Anthony was the Nuggets. He made them relevant again after the dark years of the late 90s. He led them to the playoffs every single year he was there. That 2009 Western Conference Finals run against the Lakers? That was the closest the team had ever been to glory before the Jokic era.
But the way he left for New York still leaves a sour taste for some. It shouldn't diminish the fact that he’s one of the greatest pure scorers to ever walk the earth. He’s a Hall of Famer who gave Denver its first real "superstar" swagger in the modern age.
The Blue-Collar Legends and Modern Heroes
While the stars get the jerseys retired, the identity of the Nuggets is often found in the "glue guys."
Think about Byron Beck, who played for the team when they were still the Denver Rockets. He’s one of the few players to have his number (40) retired, mostly because he stuck with the city through the league transition.
And then there's the current "Core Four." Jamal Murray might not have an All-Star appearance yet, but his playoff performances are legendary. "Blue Arrow" is the all-time leader in three-pointers for the franchise. Without his 2023 playoff run, there's no parade.
Aaron Gordon has also cemented his place. He went from a high-flying dunker in Orlando to the perfect defensive heartbeat in Denver. His sacrifice for the team's success is exactly what the "Nuggets culture" is supposed to be about.
A Legacy of "What Ifs" and Finality
Denver spent 47 years as the "almost" team. They were the team that had the high-altitude advantage but could never finish the job.
They had Allen Iverson for a weird, exciting minute. They had Chauncey Billups come home and bring leadership. They had Marcus Camby winning Defensive Player of the Year. They even had the "Manimal" Kenneth Faried outworking everyone on the glass.
But the list of all time nuggets players has undergone a massive shift recently. We’ve moved from a history of individual scoring brilliance to a legacy of collective winning.
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Actionable Insights for Fans
- Watch the Tapes: If you've only seen Jokic, go find Alex English highlights on YouTube. The footwork is a lost art.
- Respect the ABA: The Nuggets have a rich history before the merger. Players like Ralph Simpson and Bobby Jones (before he went to Philly) were absolute studs.
- The Next Chapter: Keep an eye on the current core. Players like Michael Porter Jr. are climbing the all-time charts for three-pointers made at a record pace.
The debate for the greatest is over, but the list of legends continues to grow. Whether it's the 80s track meets or the modern-day basketball clinic, Denver has always been a place where unique talent thrives.
To truly understand this team, you have to look past the box score and see the passion that guys like LaPhonso Ellis or Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf brought to the court. They might not all have retired numbers, but they are the reason why basketball in the thin air of Denver is so special.