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Denver Nuggets: The five best players you’ve never heard of

By Grayson Moore

BOSTON, MA - 1990: Blair Rasmussen #41 of the Denver Nuggets looks on during the game against the Boston Celtics circa 1990 at the Boston Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1990 NBAE (Photo by Dick Raphael/NBAE via Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA - 1990: Blair Rasmussen #41 of the Denver Nuggets looks on during the game against the Boston Celtics circa 1990 at the Boston Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1990 NBAE (Photo by Dick Raphael/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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BOSTON, MA – 1986: Calvin Natt #33 of the Denver Nuggets shoots during a game circa 1986 at the Boston Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1986 NBAE (Photo by Dick Raphael/NBAE via Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA – 1986: Calvin Natt #33 of the Denver Nuggets shoots during a game circa 1986 at the Boston Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1986 NBAE (Photo by Dick Raphael/NBAE via Getty Images) /

3. PF/SF Calvin Natt

Career Stats in Denver(4 1/2 seasons): 17.8 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 2.4 apg, 0.8 spg, 0.3 bpg, 52.3% FG%, 18.2% FG3%, 19.5 PER, 17.8 Win Shares

Calvin Natt was a very important part of the aforementioned “Golden Age” of Nuggets basketball. From 1984 to 1988, Natt started 146 games for the Nuggets. In his first 2 years in Denver, he started 138. Unfortunately, his time in Denver was cut short by injury, resulting in him playing only 42 games from 1986-87 to 1988-89. However, when he was on the court, he was an incredibly efficient scoring machine.

Scoring Efficiency

He is one of 10 players in NBA history to average 23+ ppg on 16.1 or fewer field goal attempts in a season. Also in that group is Wilt Chamberlain, Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal, David Robinson, and Reggie Miller. Among that group of players, Natt played the 3rd fewest minutes per game, averaging just 34.1 minutes on the court. He also recorded one of 4 seasons in NBA history with the above averages and fewer than 2.5 turnovers per game.

He boasts the 8th best career offensive rating in Nuggets history(116.3) as well as the 7th best Nuggets career field goal percentage min. 300 attempts(52.3%). There’s no denying he is an underappreciated yet incredibly adept scorer.

Defense/Toughness

Natt was also a very underrated defender.

While he never made any All-Defensive teams or even posted a positive defensive box plus/minus score, his toughness and effort on the defensive end made him a formidable opponent to anyone who went up against him. He earned the nickname “Pit Bull” as despite being fairly undersized for the SF/PF positions, he was as resilient and unyielding as they come.

Natt never averaged a ton of rebounds, steals, or blocks, but his vigorous approach to the game made him a 2-way talent to be reckoned with.

Calvin Natt made 1 All-Star team in Denver and is one of just 13 players in Nuggets history to do so. He was a 3x Player of the Week on the Nuggets and finished 11th in the MVP race in the 1984-85 season. For these accomplishments and his unforgiving ferocity on the court, he should be fondly remembered by Nuggets fans as a legend of the franchise.