Our NBA Tuesday miniseries continues on this week with an examination of the best players in the history of the Portland Trail Blazers franchise: from the desert last week to the wet Pacific Northwest this week. Born in 1970, the team has a .525 winning percentage now through 2024, and the local fan base is passionate: Portland deserves an MLB and/or an NHL team soon, for sure. What an awesome city … the City of Roses!

No. 10: Clifford Robinson, SF/PF/C—46.8 WS (1989-1997)

He was a second-round draft pick and immediately helped the Blazers reach the NBA Finals twice (1990, 1992) in a 3-year period. He made his only All-Star team in 1994, and he also won the Sixth Man of the Year trophy in 1993. He also didn’t miss a game in his first 5 seasons as overall he contributed 16.2 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 1.1 spg, and 1.1 bpg in the regular season and 10.3 ppg, 4.4 rpg, and 1.1 bpg in the postseason. Solid ROI there.

No. 9: Arvydas Sabonis, C—47.3 WS (1995-2001, 2002-2003)

The organization drafted him 24th overall in the 1986 Draft, but as a Soviet citizen, he never made it to the NBA until almost a decade later. By then, his knees were shot at age 31, yet he still managed 12.0 ppg, 7.3 rpg, and 1.1 bpg in the regular season—despite missing a full season to injury at age 37. He’s in the Hall of Fame for a variety of reasons; he was also a member of the 2000 team that got royally fucked by NBA corruption.

No. 8: Jim Paxson, SG—50.0 WS (1979-1987)

The No. 12 pick overall, he bridged 2 eras of Portland basketball while making 2 All-Star teams as well (1983, 1984). He posted 16.0 ppg, 3.2 apg, and 1.4 spg in 627 regular-season games for the team, yet he only played in 33 playoff games over the years for the Blazers (14.7 ppg). He was eventually traded to Boston well past his prime, where he played on late-1980s teams well past their prime as well. Timing is everything.

No. 7: Buck Williams, PF—50.4 WS (1989-1996)

He joined Robinson on some of the best Portland teams ever, despite the inability to win a title in the process. The No. 3 overall pick in the 1981 Draft by New Jersey, he came to the Blazers at age 29, and though he never made an All-Star team while in Rip City, he did lead the league in field-goal percentage and eFG percentage twice (both in 1991 and 1992). He played in 74 playoff games for the franchise in a short period.

No. 6: Jerome Kersey, SF—59.0 WS (1984-1995)

The third guy on this list so far from those 1990 and 1992 teams, he was a second rounder who perhaps overachieved: 831 games, 12.1 ppg, 6.1 rpg, and 1.3 spg. He was even better in the playoffs (91 contests): 15.3 ppg, 6.5 rpg, and 1.5 spg. After leaving town, he played for 5 teams in the final 6 years of his career, winning an NBA title with San Antonio (1999). His best season (8.8 WS) came in 1990, though, with the Trail Blazers.

No. 5: Rasheed Wallace, PF—61.3 WS (1996-2004)

The No. 4 pick in the 1995 Draft by Washington, he ended up in Portland after his rookie season and made 2 All-Star teams with the Blazers (2000, 2001). Eventually, he was traded and won the NBA title with Detroit (2004)—getting a little payback for 2000, for sure. His PDX numbers? 16.8 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 1.3 bpg, and 1.0 spg in 544 regular-season games as well as 17.3 ppg and 6.1 rpg in 50 playoff matchups. Not a bad trade at all.

No. 4: LaMarcus Aldridge, PF/C—69.4 WS (2006-2015)

Drafted No. 2 overall and immediately shipped to Portland, he was an All-Star player in his final 4 seasons with the Trail Blazers before skipping town. In 648 regular-season games with the organization, he averaged 19.4 ppg, 8.4 rpg, and 1.0 bpg. Across only 34 playoff games, he upped it to 22.1 ppg, 8.8 rpg, and 1.8 bpg—but it was a lean era for the franchise. He may yet make it to the Hall of Fame, but it will be close.

No. 3: Terry Porter, PG—79.3 WS (1985-1995)

The No. 24 pick in the draft, he made 2 All-Star teams (1991, 1993) with the Trail Blazers and led the team to the NBA Finals in 1990 and 1992. He was always a very solid player, if not spectacular at times: 14.9 ppg, 7.0 apg, 3.5 rpg, and 1.6 spg in 758 regular-season games and 18.2 ppg, 6.3 apg, 3.5 rpg, and 1.3 spg in 84 playoff games. With a loaded roster at his disposal, he found a good balance of passing and scoring for himself.

No. 2: Damian Lillard, PG—103.1 WS (2012-2023)

The No. 6 pick in the draft out of little Weber State, he paid off handsomely for the Portland franchise with 7 All-Star selections before being traded away finally this last summer. He was voted the 2013 ROTY, and we awarded him our NBA MVP in 2020. The statistics don’t tell the whole story, either: 25.2 ppg, 6.7 apg, 4.2 rpg, and 1.0 spg in the regular season and 25.7 ppg, 6.2 apg, 4.5 rpg, and 1.2 spg in the postseason. Hot damn.

No. 1: Clyde Drexler, SG—108.7 WS (1983-1995)

The No. 14 pick in the draft, he made 8 All-Star teams with the Blazers, including 7 in a row from 1988-1994. He was the dynamic force on those aforementioned NBA Finals teams with the other 4 guys listed above. If they hadn’t played legendary teams in the Finals (Detroit, Chicago), Drexler would have won a title in Portland. Alas, he had to get traded to Houston to win one (1995). Stats don’t matter; the highlight reel does.