Last Updated on December 23, 2024 by Mathew Diekhake
Lafayette “Fat” Lever is a retired American professional basketball player renowned for his versatility and all-around performance during his NBA career in the 1980s and early 1990s.
Personal Information:
- Full Name: Lafayette Lever
- Nickname: “Fat” (a childhood nickname derived from the difficulty his younger brother had pronouncing “Lafayette”)
- Nationality: American
- Age: Born August 18, 1960
- Birthplace: Pine Bluff, Arkansas
- Height: 6 feet 3 inches (190 cm)
- Weight: 170 pounds (77 kg)
- Wingspan: Not publicly documented
- Shoe Size: Not publicly documented
Basketball Career:
- High School: Pueblo High School, Tucson, Arizona
- Led Pueblo to back-to-back state championships; the gymnasium was named in his honor in 1988.
- College: Arizona State University (1978–1982)
- Four-year starter; led the Sun Devils in assists and steals each season and in scoring as a senior with a 16.3 average.
- NBA Draft: Selected by the Portland Trail Blazers in the 1st round (11th overall pick) of the 1982 NBA Draft.
- Position: Point Guard / Shooting Guard
- Jersey Numbers: Wore #12 and #21 during his NBA career.
Teams Played For:
- Portland Trail Blazers (1982–1984): Began his NBA career, averaging 7.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 1.9 steals per game in his rookie season.
- Denver Nuggets (1984–1990): Achieved two NBA All-Star selections (1988, 1990), an All-NBA Second Team honor (1987), and an NBA All-Defensive Second Team selection (1988).
- Dallas Mavericks (1990–1994): Continued to contribute significantly until knee injuries impacted his playing time.
Career Achievements:
- NBA All-Star: Two times (1988, 1990).
- All-NBA Second Team: 1987.
- NBA All-Defensive Second Team: 1988.
- Triple-Doubles: Recorded 43 career triple-doubles, ranking 11th all-time as of the end of the 2020–21 regular season.
- Denver Nuggets Jersey Retirement: Number 12 jersey retired by the Denver Nuggets on December 2, 2017.
Personal Life:
- Children:
- Anthony Pedroza: Born in 1979, played basketball for the Mexican national team.
- Siblings: Information about his siblings is not publicly documented.
Fun Facts
- After retiring from professional basketball, Lever served as the director of player development for the Sacramento Kings and worked as an analyst for Kings radio broadcasts.
- Lever’s legacy in basketball is marked by his exceptional versatility, defensive prowess, and significant contributions to the teams he played for during his 11-season NBA career.