LEVER WEEKLY: What The Nuggets Can Teach Us

This is Lever Weekly, a recap of our work from the past week. If you only read one email from us all week, this should be it.

Along with a breakdown of our reporting, podcasts, and live events for all subscribers, we provide paid subscribers with an exclusive original column.

In this week’s piece, Jenny Shank explores what we could all learn from the Denver Nuggets’ historic victory this week. With three Denver-based team members, The Lever is definitely pro-Nuggets, but Jenny’s essay is a must-read for everyone. Sports are often seen as a distraction, but they are also a reflection of American culture — and much of the time, sports reflect back an ugly picture of hyperindividualism. But this was the rare team that reflected something different: a spirit of solidarity and teamwork. Whether or not you are a sports fan, it’s a message worth pondering and amplifying.

👇 Following is an excerpt of our subscriber-only column, and below that is a recap of all of our other work from the week.

What The Nuggets Teach Us About A Countercultural Path To Success

By Jenny Shank

This week, the Denver Nuggets won their first-ever National Basketball Association  championship after 47 years in the NBA. There are important lessons to be learned from victory, even if you’re not a sports fan.

The Nuggets’ postseason dominance caught many by surprise, judging from the dumbfounded ESPN commentary and stunned court-side celebrities, particularly during the Western Conference Championship against the Lakers. Adele looked like she was about to belt a somber ballad to accompany the moody footage of LeBron James retreating into the tunnel after a third consecutive loss.

The Lakers were following the consensus formula for success in pro sports: Spend a lot of money, assemble some big stars, give those big stars all the opportunities, and power/fame your way to a win.

But this year, the Nuggets had a countervailing superpower…