The Nuggets announced the death of their former manager, Mark Warkentien, at the age of 69, in a tweet. “An incredible basketball person. A legend. I loved it ” responded Rex Chapman, the former Hornets and Nuggets dunker. “My thoughts are with his wife Mo and their daughters. Everyone in the basketball world knew Mark Warkentien. He was a big part of the success of the Runnin Rebels of UNLV with Tarkanian in the 90s. (…) And we had a good run together in Denver. RIP, Mark. »
Before arriving in Denver, it was in Portland that Mark Warkentien made his ranges, and he was behind the scenes when the Blazers shook the Lakers in the early 2000s.
It was there that he stood out, and Denver offered him to become personnel director in 2005, and the following season, he was appointed vice-president, in charge of recruitment. Under his thumb, the Nuggets reached the playoffs four seasons in a row with records of 45v-37d, 50v-32d, 54v-28d and 53v-29d. Denver climbed to first place in the Northwest Division and even reached the conference finals in 2009. That year, he was named Executive of the Year, after transferring Allen Iverson against Chauncey Billups to support Carmelo Anthony.
In 2010, its leaders refused to extend it, and he became a consultant to the Rockets to support Daryl Morey. In 2011, he found a full-time job as personnel manager at the Knicks. Coincidence, or not, a few days after his arrival, the Knicks complete the arrival of Carmelo Anthony from the… Nuggets.
After the arrival of Phil Jackson in the “Big Apple”, he took a step back, and it was at the Thunder that he continued his career as a consultant, specializing in “scouting”. He had been working there since 2018.
The Denver Nuggets organization is saddened to learn of the passing of former Executive of the Year Mark Warkenstein.
Our thoughts and condolences are with his loved ones. pic.twitter.com/wchtYRNfjg
—Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) December 24, 2022
Photo credit: Nuggets.com
