Dan Issel

The most prolific scorer in ABA history — NBA champion and the greatest player in Denver Nuggets franchise history.

Daniel Paul Issel was born in Batavia, Illinois in 1948. Kentucky Colonels selected him in the 1970 ABA Draft after four years at the University of Kentucky. His combined ABA and NBA career produced 22.6 points and 9.1 rebounds per game across 15 professional seasons. He won the ABA championship with the Kentucky Colonels in 1975. He was selected to seven All-Star games across both leagues. He averaged 25 or more points per game for seven consecutive seasons. He holds the Denver Nuggets all-time scoring record with 16,589 NBA points — a total that rises to over 27,000 when his ABA career is included. He was named to the NBA 50th Anniversary Team in 1996. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1993. He later coached the Denver Nuggets from 1992 to 2002 with considerable success. His combination of interior scoring, rebounding and professional consistency across 15 seasons — in the ABA and NBA — makes him one of the most productive scorers in the history of professional basketball when both leagues are considered together.

Physical post player with reliable jump shot and strong rebounding

Hall of Fame center/power forward known for consistent scoring and durability

• NBA Champion (1975, ABA)
• ABA Rookie of the Year
• All-Star 7x
• Hall of Fame (1993)
• NBA 50th Anniversary Team