The Nuggets lost one of the franchise’s foundational pieces last week.
Larry Jones died at age 83 Saturday. Jones was a member of the Denver Rockets in the team’s first season in the American Basketball Association. The Columbus, Ohio, native went on to become the first player in ABA history to score 5,000 career points.
After a productive senior season at Columbus East, Jones stayed in Ohio and attended the University of Toledo where he earned all-conference honors twice. The Philadelphia 76ers selected Jones in the third round of the 1964 draft, and he spent his early days as a professional playing for the Wilkes-Barre Barons in the Eastern Professional Basketball League from 1965-67.
When the ABA formed in 1967, Jones had a decision to make. He had an offer from the Los Angeles Laker