The ten-part series, ” The Last Dance”, continues to shed a brand new light on Michael Jordan. A similar feature on Alex English would paint the greatest Denver Nugget ever in an equally interesting way.
Once Alex English arrived in Denver, the Nuggets were officially on the map. English’s career started off as unspectacularly as one could imagine. A second round pick out of South Carolina in the 1976 draft, the Milwaukee Bucks had another superstar fall into their lap that they would ultimately trade away, just as they did with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Dirk Nowitzki.
English quickly fell out of favor after two turbulent years in Milwaukee, and eventually signed with the Pacers as a free agent. It was there that he began to establish himself as can elite scorer, notching 16 points per game during the 1978-1979 season.
Much to Denver’s fortune, English was traded to the Nuggets for George McGinnis, a former ABA star with the same Pacers. English’s career exploded once he came to the Nuggets. In a potential documentary showcasing his prowess on and off the floor, English’s quieter persona would come to the forefront.
Playing for an unglamorous market for a startup franchise was hardly a source of fame for English, who averaged 24 points per game in his first season in Denver. After Kiki Vandeweghe left the team, English raised his scoring output all the way to 28 points per game in 1984, pushing Denver to the second seed in the western conference in that year’s postseason.
English’s Nuggets faced the mighty Los Angeles Lakers in the conference finals that year, when numerous injuries to the team, including English, crushed their chances. English injured his right thumb in game four, which eventually forced him to have surgery and kept him out for the remainder of the series.
English said of that series, “I think that if I had not broken my thumb […] we had a chance to beat the Lakers.” The eight-time all star had his best season as a pro in 1985-1986, scoring 30 points per game, finishing third in the league in scoring behind Dominique Wilkins and Adrian Dantley.
As his career slowed down, the Nuggets entered a rebuilding phase that didn’t appear to include English. The hall of fame forward eventually signed a one-year contract with the Dallas Mavericks, where he played off the bench. After one season with the Mavericks he went on to play in Italy, and decided to retire a year later.
After his retirement, English owned nearly every single team record, including most career points, assists, minutes, games, and highest scoring average. English’s 20th place on the scoring list is remarkable when reminded of who he sits in front of. He ranks ahead of Jerry West, Charles Barkley, Clyde Drexler, Larry Bird, and former teammate Adrian Dantley among others.
Another piece to English’s flair was his dabbling in the acting world. English debuted in the 1987 film Amazing Grace and Chuck, where he played a fictitious star for the Boston Celtics. He also played the head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 1996 film Eddie.
English’s unique style on the court for a below-the-radar team makes him one of the most overlooked figures in NBA history. As an all-time great scorer and player, English still has a soft spot in the hearts of every longtime Nuggets fan.