Editing Alex English (section)

==Professional career==

=== Milwaukee Bucks (1976–1978) ===
English was drafted by the [[Milwaukee Bucks]] in the second round of the [[1976 NBA draft]] with the 23rd pick.<ref name="nbahistory">{{cite web|title=NBA.com: Alex English Bio|url=http://www.nba.com/history/players/english_bio.html|website=Nba.com|access-date=July 22, 2017}}</ref> Playing behind notable [[wing (basketball)|wings]] such as [[Bob Dandridge]], [[Junior Bridgeman]], and [[Brian Winters]], English struggled to break into coach [[Don Nelson]]'s rotation.<ref>{{cite web | last=McGee | first=Adam | title=Milwaukee Bucks: Alex English was the missing piece of the puzzle | website=Behind the Buck Pass | date=2018-09-19 | url=https://behindthebuckpass.com/2018/09/19/milwaukee-bucks-alex-english-missing-piece-puzzle/ | access-date=2025-04-07}}</ref> Despite this, English showed promise during the [[1978 NBA Playoffs]], averaging 13.4 points per game (third highest of all Bucks players that postseason) off the bench while helping the Bucks past the Suns in the first round, before losing to the Nuggets in a seven-game western conference semifinals series.<ref>[https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/MIL/1978.html 1977-78 Milwaukee Bucks Roster and Stats]</ref>

=== Indiana Pacers (1978–1980) ===
Frustrated with a lack of playing time, English signed with the [[Indiana Pacers]] as a [[free agent]] after the [[1977-78 NBA season|1977–78 season]]. English became a starter in Indiana and began to establish a reputation as a scorer, averaging 16 points per game during the [[1978–79 NBA season|1978–79 season]] on another rebuilding team.<ref name="nbahistory"/>

=== Denver Nuggets (1980–1990) ===
English was traded to the [[Denver Nuggets]] midway through the [[1979-80 NBA season|1979–80 season]] for [[George McGinnis]], a former Pacers star from their [[American Basketball Association|ABA]] days. Though coming off of an All-Star season in 1978–79, McGinnis was only a shadow of his former self and was out of the league by 1982.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Glenesk|first1=Matthew|title=Pacers at the trade deadline: A historical mixed bag|url=http://www.indystar.com/story/sports/nba/pacers/2015/02/17/pacers-nba-trade-deadline-history/23560269/|website=Indianapolis Star|access-date=July 22, 2017 |language=en}}</ref> English went on to become a star player for the Nuggets.<ref name="auto" />

In his first full season with the Nuggets in [[1980-81 NBA season|1980–81]], English averaged a then-career high 23.8 points.<ref>{{cite web|title=ESPN Classic – NBA All-Star Profile: Alex English|url=http://www.espn.com/classic/s/NBA_All_Star_Profile_Alex_English.html|website=Espn.com|access-date=July 22, 2017}}</ref>

In the [[1981-82 NBA season|1981–82 season]], English averaged 25.4 points and the team advanced to postseason play. He earned a position on the [[NBA All-Star Game|All-Star Team]] and [[All-NBA Second Team]]. The following year, in [[1982-83 NBA season|1982–83]], English won the league scoring title with an average of 28.4 points per game, while teammate [[Kiki Vandeweghe]] placed second averaging 26.7 points. Then in [[1983-84 NBA season|1983–84]] English placed fourth in the league in scoring.<ref name="nbahistory"/>

In the [[1984-85 NBA season|1984–85 season]] English raised his scoring average to 27.9 points to pick up some of the slack from [[Kiki Vandeweghe]]'s departure. Denver won its division and secured the second seed in the Western Conference. In the [[1985 NBA Playoffs|1985 playoffs]], English averaged 30.2 points as the Nuggets defeated the [[San Antonio Spurs]] and [[Utah Jazz]] to meet the [[Los Angeles Lakers]] in the Western Conference Finals, where they would fall to the eventual NBA-champion Lakers in five games. English suffered a right thumb injury in Game 4,<ref name="si">{{cite web |last1=Newman |first1=Bruce |title=Back In The Saddle Again |url=https://www.si.com/vault/1985/05/27/622464/back-in-the-saddle-again |website=Vault |access-date=26 July 2019 |language=en}}</ref> which required surgery and rendered him unable to play for the rest of the series.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Bonk |first1=Thomas |title=Alex English Is Lost to the Nuggets |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1985-05-21-sp-7858-story.html |website=Los Angeles Times |access-date=26 July 2019 |date=21 May 1985}}</ref> With the Nuggets already dealing with injuries to other players, English's injury was thought by some<ref name="si"/><ref>{{cite web |last1=Bonk |first1=Thomas |title=Celtics (102–100) and Lakers (153–109) Will Play It Again : Nuggets Are Routed, Setting Up Rematch for NBA Championship |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1985-05-23-sp-8467-story.html |website=Los Angeles Times |access-date=26 July 2019 |date=23 May 1985}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=McMANIS |first1=SAM |title=Nuggets Down, 3–1, and Feeling the Pain : Half the Roster Is Ailing, English Is Out and Even Ballboy Has a Cast |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1985-05-20-sp-16700-story.html |website=Los Angeles Times |access-date=26 July 2019 |date=20 May 1985}}</ref> to have nearly ensured a Laker victory in the series. English later stated in a 2006 interview that "I think that if I had not broken my thumb [...] we had a chance to beat the Lakers."<ref>{{cite web |title=Alex English: A True Basketball Artist |url=https://www.nba.com/nuggets/news/friedman_english_061206.html  |access-date=26 July 2019 |website=NBA.com/Nuggets}}</ref>

English recorded his career-best average of 29.8 points per game in the subsequent [[1985-86 NBA season|1985–86 season]], finishing third in the league behind [[Dominique Wilkins]] and [[Adrian Dantley]]. In the [[1986 NBA All-Star Game]], English set his All-Star career-high by scoring 16 points on 8-of-12 shooting in 16 minutes off the bench for the West squad.<ref name="nbahistory"/> During the [[1986 NBA playoffs]], English led the Nuggets past the Trail Blazers in the first round. In the Western Conference Semifinals, English averaged 29.2 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists in a six-game series loss to the eventual western conference champion [[1985-86 Houston Rockets season|Rockets]].<ref>[https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/1986-nba-western-conference-semifinals-nuggets-vs-rockets 1986 NBA Western Conference Semifinals Nuggets vs Rockets]</ref> In the final game of the series, on May 8, 1986, English tied his own Nuggets single-game playoff points record with 42 during a 126-122 double overtime loss.<ref>[https://www.denverpost.com/2020/08/18/nuggets-playoff-scoring-performances/ Denver Post: 4T. Alex English, 42 points vs. Rockets, May 8, 1986]</ref>

In 1988, English received the J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award for his community service efforts.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://hoopshype.com/2019/08/08/denver-nuggets-nba-awards-all-the-winners-in-team-history/|title=Denver Nuggets NBA awards: All the winners in team history|date=August 8, 2019|website=hoopshype.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://southcarolina.rivals.com/news/wbb-wilson-already-in-rare-company|title=A'ja Wilson is just three years into her professional career, but she is already a rarity among former Gamecocks.|website=southcarolina.rivals.com|last=Wellbaum|first=Chris|date=September 24, 2020}}</ref> On March 10, 1989, English scored 51 points, notably without attempting any three-point shots, and recorded nine assists during a 131–130 overtime loss to the [[Miami Heat]].<ref>[https://www.nba.com/nuggets/news/daily-nugget-english-51-points-031020 Daily Nugget: Alex English's 51-point performance against Miami]</ref>

After the [[1989-90 NBA season|1989–90 season]], in which English's scoring average dipped to 17.9 and he largely struggled to maintain his level of play compared to previous seasons,<ref>{{cite web|last1=Smith|first1=Sam|title=In Plain English: Alex Not A Happy Nugget|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1989/12/05/in-plain-english-alex-not-a-happy-nugget/|website=Chicago Tribune|date=December 5, 1989 |access-date=July 22, 2017|language=en}}</ref> English became a free agent, and the Nuggets elected not to re-sign him.<ref name="nbahistory"/>

=== Dallas Mavericks (1990–1991) ===
At age 36, English signed a one-year contract with the [[Dallas Mavericks]] where he once again played off the bench, this time averaging just under 10 points per game.<ref name="nbahistory"/> He played his final NBA game in 1991 for the Mavericks.<ref name="auto" />

=== Napoli (1991–1992) ===
No other NBA team signed English for the 1991–1992 season, and after a stint in Italy with [[S.S. Basket Napoli|Basket Napoli]], English ended his playing career.<ref name="nbahistory" />

===Legacy===
When English left the [[Denver Nuggets]], he was the holder of nearly every team record, including most career points (21,645), assists (3,679), games (837) and minutes (29,893) in a Nuggets uniform, along with the highest career scoring average with the team (25.9) of any player. The Nuggets retired English's number 2 jersey in 1992. {{As of|2019|alt=As of 2019||df=}}, English's career 25,613 points place him 19th on the NBA's all-time career scoring list.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/leaders/pts_career.html|title=NBA & ABA Career Leaders and Records for Points|website=Basketball-Reference|access-date=November 26, 2019|archive-date=February 25, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110225112304/http://www.basketball-r/|url-status=dead}}</ref> While in Denver, English made the NBA All-Star Team eight times<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.denverpost.com/2020/05/08/alex-english-nuggets-legend-recognized/|title=How Nuggets legend Alex English finally got his due|website=DenverPost.com|date=May 8, 2020}}</ref> and the All-NBA Second Team three times.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.landofbasketball.com/nba_players/alex_english.htm|title=Alex English|website=landofbasketball.com|access-date=January 31, 2021}}</ref> During his Nuggets tenure, the team made the NBA playoffs nine consecutive times and won two Midwest Division titles.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://hoopshabit.com/2020/03/22/15-stars-forgot-played-denver-nuggets/|title=15 players you forgot suited up for the Denver Nuggets|website=HoopsHabit.com|date=March 22, 2020}}</ref>

English retired with NBA career averages of 21.5 points and 5.5 rebounds per game.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/e/englial01.html|title=Alex English Stats|website=Basketball-Reference.com|access-date=December 2, 2017|archive-date=March 20, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190320191257/https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/e/englial01.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>
He was the first NBA player to score 2,000 points in eight consecutive seasons, and he has the distinction of being the top NBA scorer in the 1980s.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.statmuse.com/ask/nba/who-scored-the-most-points-in-the-nba-in-the-80s|title=Who Scored The Most Points In The NBA In The 80s|website=StatMuse|language=en|access-date=2019-06-29}}</ref> English was elected to the [[Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame]] in 1997.<ref name="nbahistory"/> In 2021, to commemorate the NBA's 75th Anniversary ''[[The Athletic]]'' ranked their top 75 players of all time, and named English as the 71st greatest player in NBA history.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://theathletic.com/2929199/2021/11/05/nba-75-at-no-71-alex-english-made-his-presence-felt-as-a-scorer-trendsetter-and-motivated-philanthropist/ | title=NBA 75: At No. 71, Alex English made his presence felt as a scorer, trendsetter and motivated philanthropist | last1=Jones | first1=Jason }}</ref>