Thread by @ugandasjoy01

Here's a thread about the Denver Nuggets and how they have been building their team over the last several seasons. (Had to dig for some accolades, though)

#MileHighBasketball #NBAPlayoffs

Over half of the Denver Nuggets are drafted components:

Nikola Jokić, C (41st pick overall, 2014)
* From Sombor, Serbia
* 5x NBA All Star (2019-23)
* 2x NBA MVP (2020-21, 2021-22)
* 4x All-NBA 1st Team (2018-19, 2020-21, 2021-22)
* 2x All-NBA 2nd Team (2019-20, 2022-23)
(1/2)

More Jokic:
*Led League in Total & Defensive Rebounds (2021-22)
*Led League in True Shooting Pct (2022-23)
*Led League in Field Goals, 2-PT FGs, & 2-PT FG Attempts (2020-21)
*Led League in Triple Doubles (2021-22 & 2022-23)
*2023 Western Conference Finals MVP
(2/2)

Jamal Murray, PG (7th overall, 2016)
*HS Rank: 7 (2015)
*2012-13 McDonald's All American
*2015-16 All-SEC 1st Team
*All-Rookie 2nd Team (2016-17)
*Holds franchise record for 3-PT FGs
**ACL tear in Spring 2021, missed 2021-22 season

Michael Porter Jr., SF (14th overall, 2018)
*HS Rank: 2 (2017)
*2016-17 McDonald's All American
*2017-18 AP Preseason All-American
*2019-20 All-Seeding Games 2nd Team

Zeke Nnaji, PF (22nd overall, 2020)
*HS Rank 38 (2019)
*2019-20 Pac-12 ROTY

Christian Braun, SG (21st overall, 2022)
*2019-20 Big 12 All-Freshman
*2022 NCAA Tournament All-Region Champion (Kansas)

Peyton Watson, SG (30th overall, 2022)
*HS Rank 8 (2021)

Collin Gillespie, PG (UDFA, 2022)
*Villanova
*2020-21 Big East POTY
*2021-22 Big East POTY
*2021-22 Bob Cousy Award
*2021-22 Wooden Award
*2022 Big East Tournament MVP

Jack White, SF
*UDFA out of Duke

Vlatko Čančar
*49th overall, 2017
*From Slovenia
*Played with the Erie BayHawks and Grand Rapids Gold in the G-League (2019-2021)

Denver also bolstered their roster through several key trades.

2022 Trades (Morris/Barton trade with Washington):
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, SG
*8th overall pick, 2013 by Detroit
*Won NBA Finals with LA Lakers in 2020

Ish Smith, PG
*UDFA 2010
*Been on 12 other NBA rosters

2023 Trade:

Thomas Bryant, C
*Part of Hyland/Reed trade with LAC/LAL
*42nd overall, 2017 by Utah
*HS Rank: 25 (2015)

2021 Trade:

Aaron Gordon, PF
*Part of Hampton/Harris trade with Orlando
*4th overall pick, 2014 by Orlando
*Runner-Up in the All Star Dunk Contest in 2016 & 2020

The final additions to the Nuggets has been through Free Agency in the NBA.

Bruce Brown, SG/SF/PG
*Previous teams - Detroit, Brooklyn
*42nd overall, 2018 to Detroit
*HS Rank: 26 (2016)

Jeff Green, PF/SF/C
*Previous teams - 11 other teams
*5th overall, 2007 to Seattle
*2007-08 NBA All-Rookie 1st Team

DeAndre Jordan, C
*Previous Teams - LAC, Dallas, KYK, Brooklyn, LAL, & 76ers
*35th overall, 2008 to LAC
*1x NBA All Star (2017)
*All-Defensive 1st Team (2014-15, 2015-16)
*All-NBA 1st Team (2015-16)
*All-NBA 3rd Team (2014-15, 2016-17)

Reggie Jackson, PG
*Previous teams - OKC, Detroit, LAC, Charlotte
*24th overall, 2011 by OKC

In summary, the #MileHighBasketball team has been in the works for several years.

* 1 - 2x NBA MVP
* 1 former NBA Finals Champion (KCP)
* 2 NBA All Stars (Jokic & Jordan)
* 7 former Top-100 HS Athletes
* 14 NBA Draft Selections
* 3 UDFA Players

It's a scrappy crew!