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 – 16,210 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 will be inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame in 2025.
5. David Thompson – 9,834 Points
Nicknamed “The Skywalker,” Thompson played way above the rim at 6-foot-4, famously bringing a 44-inch vertical leap to the table. He was named to the All-NBA First Team in 1977 and 1978, dropping 27.2 PPG in the latter season. He made three All-Star teams in Denver before being traded to the Seattle SuperSonics in 1982. He was inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame in 1996, then introduced Michael Jordan at his induction in 2009.
