National Basketball Association

The first major professional sports franchise in Colorado to play in the NBA, albeit for just one season.

The Denver Nuggets were a professional basketball team based in Denver that briefly competed in the National Basketball Association (NBA) during the 1949–50 season. This franchise is not directly connected to the current Denver Nuggets of today, though it shares the name. The original Nuggets joined the NBA after its formation from the merger of the NBL and BAA, marking a short-lived chapter in Colorado sports history before the team disbanded following an 11–51 record in their final NBA season.

Quick Facts

Upcoming season

2026–27 NBA season

Sport

Basketball

Founded

6 June 1946 (as BAA)
New York City, New York, U.S.
3 August 1949 (as NBA)

First

1946–47

Commissioner

Adam Silver

Teams

Countries

United States (29 teams); Canada (1 team)

Most titles

Boston Celtics (18 titles)

Facts from the source article.

Lore & Background

The roots of this Denver franchise trace back to 1932 as the amateur Denver Piggly Wiggly, an AAU team sponsored by local grocery stores. Over the years, they rebranded multiple times: becoming the Denver Safeway in 1935, the Denver American Legion until 1942, and the Denver Ambrose Jelly Makers from 1943 to 1946. The team dominated amateur basketball, winning AAU championships in 1937, 1939, and 1942. In 1948, General Manager Hal Davis secured a spot in the nine-team National Basketball League (NBL), where the team finished last in the Western Division with an 18–44 record. The following season, they entered the newly formed NBA under player-coach Jack McCracken, who had been a star for the AAU teams. The Nuggets started the 1949–50 season 0–15 and finished 11–51, becoming one of four teams (along with St. Louis, Anderson, and Chicago) to drop out of the league that year.

Reader's Guide

The original Denver Nuggets played their home games at the Denver Auditorium Arena, a venue that would later host the modern franchise from 1967 to 1975. The team's journey through professional leagues was marked by constant rebranding and league instability. After leaving the NBA in 1950, the organization attempted to continue as the Frontier Refiners in the NPBL but folded shortly after moving to Evansville. A final attempt saw the Nuggets return to AAU play for the 1951–52 season before operations ceased permanently. The name lived on decades later when the Denver Rockets of the American Basketball Association (ABA) won a contest in 1974 to rebrand, selecting 'Nuggets' as their new moniker to honor this early history. Vince Boryla, a key player from the original AAU era, would return in 1985 as president and general manager of the modern franchise, earning NBA Executive of the Year honors.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the National Basketball Association?

The NBA is a professional basketball league established through the merger of the NBL and BAA organizations. It hosted the original Denver Nuggets franchise during the 1949–50 season before the team disbanded.

What role did the NBA play in Denver sports history?

The league served as the governing body that allowed Colorado's first major professional basketball team to compete at a national level. Its management oversaw the franchise during its single season of operation within the organization.

How did the original Nuggets' time in the NBA conclude?

The franchise exited the league in 1950 following a difficult campaign that resulted in an 11–51 win-loss record. This marked the end of their brief chapter as members of the association before disbanding completely.