<P> Early, they had a solid lineup led by Byron Beck and Larry Jones, then later by Beck and Ralph Simpson . Lonnie Wright of the American Football League's Denver Broncos signed with the Rockets during that first season and became the first player to play professional football and basketball in the same season . Wright played four seasons with Denver . Controversial rookie Spencer Haywood joined the team for the 1969--70 season . Haywood was one of the first players to turn pro before graduating from college, and the NBA initially refused to let him play in the league . Haywood averaged nearly 30 points and 19.5 rebounds per game in his only ABA season, being named ABA MVP, ABA rookie of the year, as well as the All - Star Game MVP . The team finished 51--33, winning their division, before exiting the playoffs in the 2nd round . </P> <P> Just before the start of the 1970--71 season, Haywood signed with the Seattle SuperSonics, jumping to the NBA . The team tumbled to a 30--54 record and attendance suffered . </P> <P> Ringsby sold the team to San Diego businessmen Frank Goldberg and Bud Fischer in 1972 . In 1974, in anticipation of moving into the NBA, and the new McNichols Arena, the franchise held a contest to choose a new team nickname, as "Rockets" was already in use by the Houston Rockets . The winning choice was "Nuggets", in honor of the original Nuggets team in Denver from 1948--50, the last year as a charter member of the NBA . Their new logo was a miner "discovering" an ABA ball . Goldberg and Fischer in turn sold the team to a local investment group in 1976 . </P> <P> With the drafting and signing of future hall of fame player David Thompson out of North Carolina State, Marvin Webster and the acquisitions of Dan Issel and Bobby Jones and with Larry Brown coaching, they had their best seasons in team history in their first two seasons as the Nuggets . Playing in the Denver Auditorium Arena for the last season the 1974--75 team went 65--16, including a 40--2 record at home . However, a quick playoff exit followed . </P>

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