The best shooters in Trail Blazers franchise history

There have been some great players in Trail Blazers’ history who have helped develop Portland’s rich basketball culture. Innumerable points have been scored on their account, but which players were the best at scoring them? Who are the best pure shooters in Trail Blazer history?

There are many to be considered, but the following players should appear at or near the top of the list of Portland’s all-time great shooters:

Oct 24, 2013; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves assistant coach Terry Porter helps players warm up before the game against the Detroit Pistons at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports

Terry Porter: Porter was definitely one of the best players to ever put on a jersey for this franchise. He is second in all time minutes played at 23,978, only behind Drexler. As a first round draft pick for the Trail Blazers in 1985, he played 10 years for the team and was a big part of the success the franchise had during that time. Porter still currently ranks third all time in total points and tops the franchise in total assists at 5,319 all time. In addition, he ranks second in 3-point field goals made at 773, which is just behind Wesley Mathews’ recently set record. He averaged 38.5% from beyond the arc during his tenure in Portland. Porter is right up there at the top as one of the Trail Blazers’ best shooters.

Geoff Petrie: Petrie was a Trail Blazer from 1970-76, a time that predated the the 3-point field goal, which was not adopted by the NBA until 1979. Nevertheless, Petrie shot more than a third of his shot attempts from beyond the arc, and shot an overall 45.5 percent from the floor over his career. Some consider Petrie the best pure shooter Portland has ever had. If 3-point field goals were calculated back then, he would be right up there in the record books for made threes. He still ranks fourth in franchise history in total 2-point field goals with 3,970, and he is seventh all time in total points. His first year for Portland was the first year the city had a team, and he helped kick off the Trail Blazers history with a splash, winning rookie of the year.

Kiki Vandeweghe: A former All-American at UCLA, Vandeweghe was an extremely hard worker, constantly getting up jumpers to improve his shot. He worked his way into being one of the best scorers in the league with the Denver Nuggets. The Trail Blazers targeted and acquired him via trade for that very reason. In fact, he still leads the Trail Blazers in career points per game at 23.5 points. He played in Portland from 1984-89, shooting 52.6 percent from the floor, 40.8 percent from three, and 88.1 percent from the free throw line. His 3-point percentage and free throw percentage rank second and first respectively in Trail Blazers franchise history. Vandeweghe surely established himself as one of the top shooters in Portland’s history.

Feb 16, 2014; New Orleans, LA, USA; NBA legend Clyde Drexler speaks while Julius Erving looks on during the 2014 NBA All-Star Game Legends Brunch at Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

Honorable mentions

Though known mostly for this flashy dunks and uncanny athleticism, Clyde Drexler has to be talked about in the list of top shooters and scorers, mainly because of how he ranks in many categories. Drexler currently places first all time in total games, minutes played, field goals made, field goal attempts, 2-point field goals made, 2-point field goal attempts, free throws made, and even steals. He also sits at the top in total points at 18,040, putting him over 5,000 points ahead of former Trail Blazer LaMarcus Aldridge. Drexler developed his shot throughout his years in Portland, and it improved more each season. He is often considered to be the best overall Trail Blazer ever, and these records and rankings further support this recurring sentiment.

If the aforementioned Matthews had been re-signed by the team this past summer, he would have had the potential, barring another major injury, to become one of the best shooters in the team’s history. He already leads the franchise in total 3-point field goals made (826) and attempts (2,096), and he seemed to be poised to continue his deadeye shooting. However, with Matthews moving on to Dallas, Damian Lillard will look to compete with these records and boost himself into the best shooter discussion.

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