The 1948 season stands as an important chapter in Denver Nuggets history, showcasing the first Denver Nuggets basketball franchise in the National Basketball League. Originally known as the Denver Refiners before rebranding, the team represented Colorado’s entry into top-tier professional basketball and laid the foundation for the modern Denver Nuggets seen in today’s NBA.
Established
1932
City
Denver
League History
1950 - 1951 / National Professional Basketball League
1949 - 1950 / National Basketball Association
1948 - 1949 / National Basketball League/Basketball Association of America
1946 - 1948 / American Basketball League
1932 - 1940 / Missouri Valley League
Team History
1950 - 1951 / Denver Refiners
1946 - 1950 / Denver Nuggets
1945 - 1946 / Denver Ambrose Jellymakers
1941 - 1944 / Denver American Legion
1939 - 1940 / Denver Nuggets
1932 - 1938 / Denver Safeway Pigs
Nickname
Nuggets - The Denver Nuggets have been a professional basketball team since 1948 and are one of the oldest National Basketball Association (NBA) teams. The team has had many nicknames over its long history, but its most iconic nickname is “Nuggets.” But where did this nickname come from?
It all began when original owner Ben Kerner decided to give his new franchise an identity that was as unique and memorable. He chose "Nuggets" because he wanted to signify gold mining, which at the time was synonymous with Colorado's economy and culture. The name also paid homage to Denver's Gold Rush era when prospectors came looking for riches in 1858-59.
Denver Nuggets Origin
Kerner felt that calling his new NBA franchise the Nuggets would help capture some of Colorado’s rich heritage while also giving people something they could easily remember and recognize whenever they heard it mentioned on sports broadcasts or read about them in newspapers or magazines. It worked! Since then, “Denver Nuggets” has become a household name among fans living within state lines and North America too!
Today, no matter who you ask - young fanatics or seasoned veterans - everyone knows what you're talking about when you mention "the Denver Nuggets." So next time someone brings up this classic NBA team, be sure to thank Ben Kerner for coming up with such a clever idea back during those early days of pro basketball – without him, we wouldn't have our beloved Nuggies today!
Championship
NPB Championship 0
NBA Championships 0
BAA Championship 0
ABL Championship 0
Amateur Athletic Association 3
1942, 1939, 1937
Arena
1932 - 1951 / Auditorium Arena
Owner
1932 – 1951 / Unknown
Retired Number
*Blue is this team’s history
- 1932
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Nuggets in 1932 Team Formation
The Denver Nuggets trace their roots back to 1932 when the original amateur Nuggets were formed as a member of the Amateur Athletic Union. Led by player/coach “Jumping Jack” McCracken, the Nuggets were one of the most powerful amateur athletic basketball teams in the country, winning the 1939 AAU championship and losing the 1940 championship to the Phillips 66ers of ...
Denver Nuggets History
Denver Nuggets history stretches back to the late 1940s, when the original franchise became one of the first professional teams in Colorado. This early version of the Denver Nuggets basketball team entered the National Basketball League (NBL) in 1948 before joining the newly formed Basketball Association of America (BAA). When the BAA and NBL merged in 1949, the Nuggets helped form the modern NBA, making them one of the league’s true pioneers.
During their inaugural 1948–49 campaign, the Nuggets, led by coach John McLendon, posted a 25-21 record and finished second in their division. Key players such as Bob Feerick, Jack Nichols, and Don Sunderlage averaged double figures in scoring and gave the team early credibility in the new league. Unfortunately, an untimely injury to Feerick late in the season limited his playoff impact, and the team exited in the first round.
Nuggets Achievements
The 1949–50 season added rookie forward George Yardley, who averaged 18 points and 8 rebounds per game and won Rookie of the Year honors. With Yardley and All-Star Arnie Ferrin leading the charge, the Denver Nuggets basketball team again reached the postseason but fell to the eventual champion Minneapolis Lakers in a hard-fought series highlighted by Ferrin’s 33-point Game 6 performance, which ended in a narrow 103-102 home loss.
Although this first version of the Nuggets folded shortly afterward because of financial and attendance issues, their contributions were crucial in shaping both Colorado basketball and the NBA. The franchise’s pioneering role in integrating professional basketball, its early playoff runs, and the success of players like Yardley and Ferrin remain celebrated milestones in Denver Nuggets history, laying the foundation for the modern Nuggets organization that thrives today.
Sports Fan Products
Who Belongs on the Denver Nuggets Mount Rushmore?
In the thought-provoking video Who Belongs on the Denver Nuggets Mount Rushmore?, basketball fans are invited to engage in a lively discussion about the four most iconic figures in the history of the Denver Nuggets franchise. The video analyzes the contributions of key players, coaches, and...