Hoops Habit
Fansided

Denver Nuggets: 25 Best Players To Play For The Nuggets

By Phil Watson

Mar 8, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; A general view of the Denver Nuggets logo on the floor prior to the game between the Denver Nuggets and the New York Knicks at the Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 8, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; A general view of the Denver Nuggets logo on the floor prior to the game between the Denver Nuggets and the New York Knicks at the Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
5 of 26
Next
17 Apr 2001: Mark Madsen #35 of the Los Angeles Lakers defends Raef Lafrentz #45 of the Denver Nuggets during the second half of the Nuggets v Lakers game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. DIGITAL IMAGE. Mandatory Credit: Donald Miralle/Allsport.
17 Apr 2001: Mark Madsen #35 of the Los Angeles Lakers defends Raef Lafrentz #45 of the Denver Nuggets during the second half of the Nuggets v Lakers game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. DIGITAL IMAGE. Mandatory Credit: Donald Miralle/Allsport. /

22. player. 73. <strong>How acquired: </strong>3rd overall pick from Kansas, 1998 NBA Draft.. C. 1999-2002. Raef LaFrentz

The Denver Nuggets selected Kansas center Raef LaFrentz with the third overall pick in the 1998 NBA Draft, but his career was delayed first by a lengthy lockout and then by a torn ACL that limited him to just 12 games as a rookie.

He recovered to start for most of the next three seasons before he was traded in February 2002 with Nick Van Exel, Tariq Abdul-Wahad and Avery Johnson to the Dallas Mavericks for Tim Hardaway, Juwan Howard, Donnell Harvey, cash and a 2002 first-round pick.

DEN_22_LAFRENTZ
DEN_22_LAFRENTZ /

In parts of four seasons with the Nuggets, LaFrentz averaged 13.2 points, 7.7 rebounds, 2.5 blocks and 1.2 assists in 31.3 minutes per game, shooting .462/.376/.693.

He was in the top 10 in blocks per game in both 1999-2000 and 2000-01 for Denver.

He was later traded to the Boston Celtics in October 2003 and to the Portland Trail Blazers in June 2006. He battled knee problems for much of his career and retired after the 2008-09 season after not playing in a game after April 2008.

LaFrentz is 45th in NBA history with an average of 1.6 blocks per game.

Next: A One-Name Sensation

Home/Denver Nuggets