The 10 greatest Nuggets in history, ranked by Player Efficiency Rating (PER)
By Ben Handler
7. Kiki Vandeweghe - 20.1 PER
A 6’8” forward from UCLA, Kiki was a prolific scorer and shooter for the Nuggets in one of the highest-scoring eras in NBA history. After being drafted by the Mavericks and requesting a trade, he started his career in Denver in the 1980-81 season and made the All-Star team in his third and fourth seasons.
Vandeweghe averaged 29.4 points per game in his fourth and final season with the team before being traded to Portland in the offseason. But he would make a triumphant return to the Nuggets when he took over as the team’s General Manager in 2001.
He had a successful front office tenure, reviving the franchise after a lackluster decade. His key moves as GM included drafting Carmelo Anthony and hiring George Karl as head coach, two moves which helped the team reach the playoffs after a lengthy drought.
Kiki went on to play 9 more seasons in the league after leaving Denver, but he’d never make another All-Star team, nor did he ever win a title. At age 65, Vandeweghe is currently serving as an advisor to the NBA and league commissioner Adam Silver, and his niece, Coco Vandeweghe was a professional tennis player.
