Fat Lever

The versatile guard who scored, passed, stole, and rebounded for the Denver Nuggets.

Lafayette 'Fat' Lever, born August 18, 1960, is an American former professional basketball player who became one of the NBA's premier point guards in the late 1980s. Drafted by the Portland Trail Blazers in 1982 out of Arizona State, he was traded to the Denver Nuggets in 1984, where his career flourished. During his six seasons with Denver (1984–1990), Lever established himself as a franchise icon, leading the team in steals and finishing second all-time in assists behind Alex English. His versatility was unmatched; despite standing 6 feet 3 inches tall, he regularly led the Nuggets in rebounding. On March 9, he recorded his first career triple-double with 13 points, 15 assists, and a career-high 10 steals against the Pacers.

Quick Facts

Born: 18 August 1960
Birthplace: Pine Bluff, Arkansas, U.S.
High school: Pueblo (Tucson, Arizona)
College: Arizona State (1978–1982)
Draft round: 1
Draft pick: 11
Drafted by: Portland Trail Blazers
Career position: Point guard; shooting guard

Lore & Background

Lever's time in Denver was defined by historic statistical feats. On November 6, he posted a franchise-first double-double of 24 points and 18 assists against the Lakers, joining Magic Johnson as one of only two players since the ABA-NBA merger to record multiple regular-season games with at least 24 points and 18 assists. He is one of just three players in NBA history to record a triple-double of 15-plus points, rebounds, and assists in a single playoff game. His dominance was so profound that he remains the Nuggets' all-time leader in steals and sits second in career assists. In his first season with Denver (1984–85), he averaged 12.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, 7.5 assists, and 2.5 steals. He earned an All-NBA Second Team selection in 1987 and an All-Defensive Second Team nod in 1988.

Reader's Guide

To understand Fat Lever is to look at his complete statistical profile: he finished his career averaging 13.9 points, six rebounds, 6.2 assists, and 2.22 steals per game. He made two NBA All-Star teams during his tenure with the Nuggets. As of the end of the 2025–26 regular season, he ranks 13th on the all-time list for most triple-doubles in the regular season with 43 over 11 seasons. Notably, among the top 13 career triple-double leaders, Lever is the only eligible player not yet in the Hall of Fame. After leaving Denver, he sat out the entire 1992–93 season due to a knee injury before finishing his career with the Mavericks in 1994. His post-playing career included serving as director of player development for the Sacramento Kings and an analyst for their radio broadcasts.

Did You Know?

Lever was nicknamed 'Fat' by his younger brother, Elmer Jr., because the boy had trouble pronouncing all the syllables of his name.
Lever was traded by the Nuggets to Dallas in 1990; the Nuggets subsequently used the acquired picks in a complex series of trades involving Miami and Washington.