Some NBA teams have statues outside of their arenas in the commons area. These statues commemorate players, coaches, and even executives. Surprisingly, the Portland Trail Blazers do not have such an honor outside of the Moda Center or Rose Quarter in general.
If you were to go to the front of what was known as Staples Center you would see statues of Elgin Baylor, Shaquille O’Neal, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Kobe Bryant, Jerry West and Chick Hearn. You can even drive up I-5 North and notice the statues commemorating Seattle’s MLB legends.
When will the Portland Trail Blazers erect their first statue?
It’s high time that the Blazers erect a monument to one of the greats in their franchise history. They could construct an area of space around The Moda Center and Veteran’s Memorial Coliseum and call it “the Portland Trail Blazers Hall of Fame.”
Of course players like Bill Walton, Clyde Drexler, Terry Porter and Damian Lillard should have one in their honor, but we should also include Mr. Rip City himself, legendary announcer Bill Schonley, who just retired from the team. Should Paul Allen get one as an owner? If so, certainly the first owner, Larry Weinberg, deserves one as well. Hall-of-fame coaches Jack Ramsay and Rick Adelman should get a plaque or bust.
Perhaps the person who deserves it more than anyone would be team founder and President Emeritus Harry Glickman. After all, if it were not for his dream of having professional basketball in Portland, and him leaving his rain coat in the Los Angeles hotel after meeting with the expansion committee, there likely wouldn’t be Portland Trail Blazers Basketball.
Regardless of who the team decides to cement in Trail Blazers history and how they intend to do it, it’s certain that Portland has plenty of history worth honoring in stone or metal. Perhaps the team is waiting for Damian Lillard, the new figurehead of basketball in Portland, to retire to start construction on the team’s first statue.