His Nuggets teammates might be shocked to know that Francisco Elson failed his primary entrance exam to Alabama. That led him to Kilgore (Texas) Junior College in 1995 and Cal in 1997.
“Coming from the Netherlands, I did not know English well enough then,” Elson said. “There were words on that test I had never seen before.”
This might stun his Nuggets teammates, because Elson today can speak at least seven languages, among them Dutch, German and French.
“He is probably the most intelligent person in the locker room,” Nuggets forward Eduardo Najera said. “His English is as good as anyone here. He talks to me in Spanish. I’ve heard him talk to Nene in Portuguese.”
His father played soccer in the Netherlands. But as Elson grew in Rotterdam, so did his passion for basketball.
He was a second-round Nuggets draft choice, the 41st overall selection, in 1999. Both he and the Nuggets agreed that he needed more grooming. So, he returned to Europe and played there. He joined the Nuggets in 2003.
Few players are age 30 (Elson reaches that number next month) but only in their third NBA season.
That says plenty about the rawness of his game. He is remarkably athletic for a 7-footer and can run the floor like a point guard. Yet he tends to commit quick fouls and not craft enough strong moves to the basket. Overall, the Nuggets want him to become a more aggressive player in every way.
That takes time to develop.
Will the Nuggets grant it?
Elson will be a restricted free agent after this season. He earns nearly $720,000 this season, lowest among the Nuggets.
Several NBA teams can use a big, mobile player whose best basketball appears to be ahead. Several will pay him at least twice his current salary to join them. On any offer, the Nuggets have the choice to match it and retain him.
The Nuggets should find a way to keep Elson. To cash in on their patience and early investments. He already has provided ways to keep them afloat.
A season full of injuries to Nuggets big men – Nene, Marcus Camby and Kenyon Martin, especially – have forced Elson to surface this season as a spot starter. The Nuggets are 18-10 with Elson in the starting lineup this season. They are 36-17 overall with Elson as a starter.
In three games this season he has led the Nuggets in rebounding. His season high in points is 15.
His teammates call him “Geico,” as in insurance policy. They call him “Cisco.”
Carmelo Anthony and Earl Boykins call him “Hot Sauce – And 1.”
“He thinks he’s got handles,” Anthony said. “He’s definitely been holding us down with a big presence with all of our injuries there. But he thinks he can get the rebound, dribble through his legs, go the floor and finish.”
Elson had an answer.
“I can – on a good day,” he said, smiling.
The Nuggets say he is one of the most quiet among them, is soft-spoken when he does speak and is always professional. Rookie Linas Kleiza said he has learned as much from Elson about how to be a pro as he has from any Nugget.
Elson learned the value of opportunity early.
He was impressed with his father’s commitment to soccer. He saw his brother, Patrick, exhibit love for basketball.
“Patrick was 21 when he died from a heart attack during a game,” said Elson, the youngest of four. “I was about 13 then. Today, I’m the same height as him, about the same weight. It was a sad time, going through that. At that age, you don’t realize what it is going to do to you, how it will affect your attitude. It changed me for the better.
“It changed my whole attitude as a person, that I would love my family more and I would work in basketball to achieve the best.”
And so he has, finding a niche as a reliever, a stop-gap player, while planning for more.
He has an hour workout routine before every game, where he is joined by Nuggets coach Adrian Dantley. Najera said it would not surprise his Nuggets teammates if Elson becomes a 17-point, 10-rebound per game player. They have seen him do that occasionally. They believe that one day he can do it routinely. He continues adapting, Najera said, despite not knowing on some nights if he will play 30 minutes or four minutes.
With Camby back, Elson’s minutes figure to decrease.
But not his value.
“I’m comfortable here,” Elson said. “I think I’ve done well in the role of filling in when somebody goes down. At this point in time I am hoping I will always be a Nugget. I think I can bring more to the team.”
Thomas George can be reached at 303-820-1994 or tgeorge@denverpost.com.
