During the post-All-Star-Game downtime, we thought it would be fun to list some of the excellent players in history who never made the All-Star team while wearing a Blazers’ uni. Besides, it’s snowing out; what else are we gonna do?
Hello there, Rip City! What’s new? Seen the weather forecasts? Looking for an excuse to leave work early? Tell your boss that Old Man Winter is knocking at the door. Then get home, sit back, relax and marvel at the amazingly long list of awesome Trail Blazers players who didn’t make the All-Star team while they played for Portland.
Totally Made-Up Rules and Regulations
Please keep in mind that this list is fairly rudimentary; that is to say, it’s based on little more than a cursory glance at the stats and the choice of a single year in which the player had All-Star-type numbers.
Furthermore, the list is also made up of players who didn’t make the All-Star team, but may have participated in All-Star events, such as the Slam Dunk Contest.
Also, some of these players made the All-Star Game with teams other than the Trail Blazers.
And, finally, the list was compiled without considering which All-Stars should have been left off the team to make room for these Blazers. For example, maybe Jerome Kersey should have made the All-Star team in 1988. But whose spot would he have taken?
This list is in no discernible order, either, by the way. It’s just a fun little compilation so that I have something to do during this stretch of snowpocalyptic cabin fever. Whaddya want from me?
And so, without further ado …
The Trail Blazers’ Most Awesome Non-All-Stars!
Abbreviations: Points per game (PPG); rebounds per game (RPG); assists per game (APG); steals per game (SPG); blocks per game (BPG); field-goal percentage (FGP); three-point percentage (FG3).
JEROME KERSEY (1987-1988): 19.2 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 3.1 APG, 1.6 SPG
BUCK WILLIAMS (1989-1990): 13.6 PPG, 9.8 RPG, 55% FGP
MYCHAL THOMPSON (1981-1982): 20.8 PPG, 11.7 RPG, 4.0 APG, 1.4 BPG, 52% FGP
NICOLAS BATUM (2012-2013): 14.3 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 4.9 APG, 1.2 SPG, 1.1 BPG
CJ MCCOLLUM (2016-2017): 23.0 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 3.6 APG, 42% FG3
ZACH RANDOLPH (2006-2007): 23.6 PPG, 10.1 RPG
ARVYDAS SABONIS (1997-1998): 16.0 PPG, 10.0 RPG, 3.0 APG, 49% FGP
LLOYD NEAL (1972-1973): 13.4 PPG, 11.8 RPG, 49% FGP
KIKI VANDEWEGHE (1986-1987): 26.9 PPG, 52% FGP, 48% FG3
CALVIN NATT (1982-1983): 20.4 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 54% FGP
ROD STRICKLAND (1995-1996): 18.7 PPG, 9.6 APG, 4.4 RPG, 1.4 SPG
KELVIN RANSEY (1981-1982): 16.1 PPG, 7.1 APG, 1.2 SPG
ISAIAH RIDER (1997-1998): 19.7 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 3.1 APG
KENNY ANDERSON (1996-1997): 17.5 PPG, 7.1 APG, 4.4 RPG, 2.0 SPG
LEROY ELLIS (1970-1971): 15.9 PPG, 12.3 RPG, 3.2 APG
KENNY CARR (1983-1984): 15.6 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 56% FGP
Next: Is Lillard's conversation with Paul Allen starting to bear fruit?
That’s it! What do you think of this list? Anybody totally not deserving of mention? Anybody that should be here, but isn’t? Let us know.
And in the meantime, be sure to look over our list of actual Trail Blazers All-Stars here.
Still snowing outside, by the way. Be careful out there, Rip City.
And go Blazers.