When you think of the 1980s in the NBA, you think of Magic Johnson, Larry Bird and the beginnings of Michael Jordan. However, the most points in this decade were scored by another: Alex English. His career took place far from the limelight, hidden in the Rocky Mountains at Denver Nuggets. Nevertheless, the reserved scorer deserves much more attention than he likes – at least on his 64th birthday. Birthday.
In the 1980s, the NBA developed into the league we know today. The league became more and more popular, a certain David Stern became commissioner and turned the league into an entertainment machine, entertainment was capitalized.
Of course it helped that there were more stars in the league than ever before. The rivalry between Magic Johnson and Larry Bird determined the time, hundreds of stories were written in the finals between the Celtics and the Lakers only about this duel. The spectators were able to admire Dominique Wilkins and Julius Erving as they seemingly disregarded the laws of gravity. And in 1984, a boy from the University of North Carolina entered the league, was drafted by the Chicago Bulls and changed the league forever: Michael Jordan.
When this same Jordan came into the league, Alex English had been there for a long time. Far away from the spotlight, with the stars mentioned above, English made basket after basket. When the celebrated Draft class entered the stage in 1984, Denver Nugget was the best scorer in the league. His average score between 1981 and 1989 was just under 28 points. Still, few outside Colorados remember him today. But why not?
English is deeply connected to South Carolina. He was born in Columbia, attended college at the USC and retired at the end of his active career. For USC, he produced impressive figures in four years, with an average of 22 points and 10 rebounds in his senior season. Enough to become an all-American and still be on the university’s highscores.
The Milwaukee Bucks became aware of him and pulled him on 23. It means a lot to be noticed,”says English to the draft,” There was no guarantee that I would make it to the NBA before. I was 2.05 metres tall and weighed just 85 kilos. That’s why I worked so hard. I knew I wouldn’t fail.”
The start of his Bucks career was not very successful. Milwaukee only won 30 games and head coach Don Nelson, who took over for Larry Costello in the middle of the season, was not known for giving his rookies a lot of time. It only became better for English after two years and a change of scenery. Before the 1978/79 season, the Indiana Pacers secured their services. English gave the scorer from the bank and scored 16 points on average, but the Pacers missed the playoffs.
In the middle of the next season he finally found his basketball home. Through a trade he landed with the Denver Nuggets and immediately became the most important scorer in the team. At the side of Big Man Dan Issel and Shooting Guard David Thompson he formed the core of the nuggets of the early 80s. However, the decisive change came only in the next season.
After 31 games the nuggets were only 11-20 – coach Donnie Walsh had to leave. He was replaced by Doug Moe. He looked at his squad and decided to take a radical step: the nuggets are supposed to try to make more points than the opponent, no matter how many they win.
The result – a record of 37-45 at the end, which misses out on playoffs. The “Passing Game Offense”, however, worked. 121.8 points scored Denver on average, first place in the league. The downside was the 122.3 points they scored. The nuggets ran for their lives and Alex English scored 24 points on average in the first season and scored eight rebounds – 3.4 of them on the offensive board. A foretaste.
In the nine years that followed, English always scored at least 25 points per game, and in 1983 he became the top scorer of the league with 28.4 points. Coach Moe remained with Denver over this period and the team led the NBA in all offensive statistics every year.
The nuggets reached their peak in 1985. Dan Issel contested his last season as a professional, the promising wing Kiki Vanderweghe was traded, but Fat Lever, a new point guard, came to Mile High City. With Calvin Natt Englsih was also side by side with a strong scorer. 52 games won the nuggets this season, in the playoffs the Spurs and Jazz were beaten.
The Lakers were waiting for the Western Conference Finals. Byron Scott, James Worthy, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson – the Showtime-Lakers. You were too strong for the nuggets. In the last game Denver scored 153 points, it was a disassembly. English had to watch them from the bank. In game four, he broke his thumb in the fight for rebound with Abdul-Jabbar.
Page 1: With the nuggets to the best offensive team of the league
Page 2: Glorious departure and silent end of career