Former Nuggets guard Lafayette “Fat” Lever will be honored by the team next week. (Photo by Jake Schoellkopf/NBAE via Getty Images)
Since this has unofficially become The Year of the Triple-Double, it’s only fitting that the Nuggets bring back a star that, when he played, voraciously collected triple-doubles like people do Facebook friends.
Lafayette “Fat” Lever is being honored by the team on Wednesday, April 8, the night the Nuggets face the L.A. Lakers.
Lever had 46 triple-doubles in his career with the Nuggets — three of those coming in the playoffs. That total is more than two-thirds of the total triple doubles in Nuggets history. And trust, he was a triple double threat every night out. In six seasons with the Nuggets Lever averaged 17.0 points, 7.6 rebounds and 7.5 assists. A defensive force, Lever averaged 2.5 steals… for his career. He was named second-team all defense in 1988.
A two-time NBA All Star, Lever also was an all-NBA second-team selection in 1987. In his career, he was also player of the week twice and player of the month once. His single best season was in 1988-89, when Lever averaged 19.8 points, 9.3 rebounds, 7.9 assists and 2.7 steals per game. He shot 45.7 percent from the floor and 34.8 percent from the 3-point line.
One of his most memorable games was during the 1987-88 season, when, against Cleveland at McNichols Arena, Lever lit up the stats sheet for a near quadruple double with 20 points, 20 rebounds, 10 assists and six steals.
Lever is in the Nuggets top 10 in all-time in steals (1,167), assists (3,566), field goals made (3,304) and rebounds (3,621).
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