Denver Nuggets facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Denver Nuggets |
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| Conference | Western | ||||
| Division | Northwest | ||||
| Founded | 1967 | ||||
| History | Denver Rockets 1967–1974 (ABA) Denver Nuggets 1974–1976 (ABA) 1976–present (NBA) |
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| Arena | Ball Arena | ||||
| Location | Denver, Colorado | ||||
| Team colors | Midnight blue, sunshine yellow, Flatirons red, skyline blue |
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| Main sponsor | Ibotta | ||||
| CEO | Josh Kroenke | ||||
| President | Josh Kroenke | ||||
| General manager | Ben Tenzer (interim) | ||||
| Head coach | David Adelman | ||||
| Ownership | Kroenke Sports & Entertainment (Stan Kroenke, Owner/Governor) | ||||
| Affiliation(s) | Grand Rapids Gold | ||||
| Championships | 1 (2023) | ||||
| Conference titles | 1 (2023) | ||||
| Division titles | 12 ABA: 2 (1970, 1975) NBA: 10 (1977, 1978, 1985, 1988, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2019, 2020, 2023) |
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| Retired numbers | 7 (2, 12, 33, 40, 44, 55, 432) | ||||
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The Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team from Denver, Colorado. They play in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as part of the Western Conference's Northwest Division. The team started in 1967 as the Denver Larks in the American Basketball Association (ABA).
They quickly changed their name to the Rockets before their first season. In 1974, they became the Nuggets. This was to prepare for a possible move to the NBA. In 1976, the Nuggets played in the last ABA Championship, but lost to the New York Nets.
The team has had many successful periods. They joined the NBA in 1976 after the ABA and NBA merged. In 2023, led by stars Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray, the Nuggets won their first NBA championship. They were the last of the four former ABA teams to reach the NBA Finals. The Nuggets play their home games at Ball Arena in Denver.
Contents
- Team History
- Starting the Team in 1967
- The ABA Years (1967–1976)
- Early NBA Years (1976–1982)
- The Alex English Era (1982–1989)
- A Period of Decline (1989–1991)
- The Dikembe Mutombo Era (1991–1996)
- Another Period of Struggle (1996–2003)
- The Carmelo Anthony Era (2003–2011)
- Post-Carmelo Anthony Era (2011–2015)
- The Nikola Jokić Era and First NBA Championship (2015–Present)
- Recent Season Records
- Home Courts
- Team Colors, Logos, and Uniforms
- Team Mascot
- Retired Numbers
- Basketball Hall of Famers
- See also
Team History
Starting the Team in 1967
The team began in 1967 as one of the first teams in the American Basketball Association (ABA). The original owner couldn't find a good arena in Kansas City. So, the league suggested moving the team to Denver.
The team was first called the Denver Larks. But the owners didn't have enough money. Just before the first game, a Denver trucking owner named Bill Ringsby bought most of the team. He quickly renamed them the Rockets, after his company's trucks.
The ABA Years (1967–1976)
The Denver Rockets played at the Denver Auditorium Arena. They were successful early on and gained many fans. However, they often lost in the playoffs and only reached the ABA championship once.
Early stars included Byron Beck and Larry Jones. Lonnie Wright also played for the team. He was the first player to play professional football and basketball in the same season. In the 1969–70 season, Spencer Haywood joined the team. He was one of the first players to turn pro before finishing college. Haywood was named ABA MVP and Rookie of the Year. The team won their division but lost in the playoffs.
Haywood left for the NBA in 1970. This led to a famous court case that changed rules for young players joining pro leagues. After he left, the team's performance dropped.
Becoming the Denver Nuggets (1974–1976)
In 1972, Bill Ringsby sold the team. In 1974, the team decided to change its name. They planned to move to the NBA, and another team was already called the Rockets. They held a contest, and "Nuggets" was chosen. This name honored an older Denver basketball team from the 1940s. Their new logo showed a miner finding a basketball.
The Nuggets got much stronger with new players like