Ty Lawson

The Tar Heel champion who anchored the Nuggets' offense for six seasons after a record-breaking assist campaign in 2014-15.

Tywon Ronell Lawson is an American former professional point guard born on November 3, 1987. He played college basketball for the North Carolina Tar Heels, winning the 2009 national championship in his junior year. Selected with the 18th overall pick in the 2009 NBA draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves, he was immediately traded to the Denver Nuggets. Lawson spent six seasons with Denver before moving on to other teams, including the Houston Rockets and Indiana Pacers.

Quick Facts

Born: 3 November 1987
Birthplace: Clinton, Maryland, U.S.
High school: Bishop McNamara (Forestville, Maryland); Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Virginia)
College: North Carolina (2006–2009)
Draft round: 1
Draft pick: 18
Drafted by: Minnesota Timberwolves
Career position: Point guard

Lore & Background

Lawson's tenure in Denver began after he slipped to the 18th pick due to concerns over his height and ankle history. Serving as a backup to Chauncey Billups for one and a half seasons, he took over the starting role when Billups was traded on February 22, 2011. On April 9, 2011, Lawson made NBA history by becoming the first player to make his first 10 three-point attempts in a game, finishing with a career-high 37 points alongside 7 rebounds and 6 assists. The team reached its peak during the 2012–13 season with a franchise-best 57–25 record, where Lawson led Denver in scoring (21.3) and assists (8.0) during their first-round playoff exit against Golden State. In the following year, with Danilo Gallinari injured, he led the squad in points, assists, and steals.

Reader's Guide

To understand Ty Lawson's impact on the Nuggets, one must look at his evolution from a backup to the franchise leader. He arrived as a junior college champion who returned for one more year before entering the draft. His playing style relied on speed and vision, evident in his historic 10-of-11 three-point shooting game against Portland where he scored 37 points. Even during the team's decline in the 2014–15 season, Lawson broke a long-standing franchise record for assists, proving his value as an elite distributor regardless of the roster's surrounding talent.

Did You Know?

Lawson set a record with 8 steals in the 2009 NCAA championship game against Michigan State.
In the 2014–15 season, Lawson broke Nick Van Exel's record with 720 total assists for the Nuggets.
During his junior year at UNC, he won the Bob Cousy Award as the best collegiate point guard.