History

Top 5 all-time Denver Nuggets scoring leaders

Alex English, the NBA's top scorer in the 1980s, leads the all-time scoring list for the Denver Nuggets.

Alex English wielded a silky-smooth jump shot to become the all-time scoring leader for the Denver Nuggets.

1. Alex English – 21,645 Points

Alex English was traded to the Nuggets halfway through the 1979-80 season, coming to Denver in exchange for George McGinnis. He went on to become the NBA’s top scorer in the decade, scoring 2,000+ points in eight straight seasons and peaking at 29.8 PPG in 1984-85. He made seven All-Star teams and three All-NBA Second Teams with the Nuggets, then went on to be inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 1997.


2. Nikola Jokić – 18,009 Points

The Joker has quickly become a legend in Denver, winning three Kia Most Valuable Player awards and leading the Nuggets to the 2023 NBA championship, the first in franchise history. An all-around talent, Jokić couples incredible court vision and stalwart toughness on the glass with a delicate scoring touch. No one can touch his signature Sombor Shuffle. Jokić took his scoring game to another level in the 2024-25 season, dropping a career-high 29.6 PPG.


3. Dan Issel – 14,659 Points

A 6-foot-9 center with a tireless work ethic, Issel was one of the first stars for the Nuggets in the NBA. He was remarkably durable, missing just 24 games over 15 seasons and earning the nickname “The Horse,” while relying on a smooth jumper and aggressive attacks to the rim to get his points. Issel peaked at 22.9 PPG in the 1982 season, and, along with English, took the Nuggets to the 1985 Western Conference Finals, where they lost to the eventual champion Los Angeles Lakers. He remains the all-time leading scorer at the University of Kentucky.


4. Carmelo Anthony – 13,970 Points

Melo was a scoring machine. Quicker than larger defenders and stronger than smaller ones, he was able to get a clean look at almost all times, becoming one of the game’s most feared isolation scorers. Anthony made four All-NBA teams and four All-Star teams during seven seasons in Denver, peaking as a scorer in 2006-07, when he dropped 28.9 PPG. He became a star for the New York Knicks and a featured role player for several franchises and was inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame in 2025.


5. Jamal Murray – 11,528 Points

Alongside Jokić, Murray has also become a franchise legend in his own right, being an integral part to the Nuggets’ championship run in 2023. Murray’s ability to put the ball in the hole from all three levels has made him a potent offensive threat over the course of his career. In the 2025-26 season, Murray averaged a career-high 25.4 points and earned his first NBA All-Star appearance.

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