Rip City Project
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5 most underrated Portland Trail Blazers of all time

By Jacob Dazzeo

LANDOVER, MD - CIRCA 1991: Terry Porter #30 of the Portland Trail Blazers grabs a rebound against the Washington Bullets during an NBA basketball game circa 1991 at the Capital Centre in Landover, Maryland. Porter played for the Trail Blazers from 1985-95. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
LANDOVER, MD - CIRCA 1991: Terry Porter #30 of the Portland Trail Blazers grabs a rebound against the Washington Bullets during an NBA basketball game circa 1991 at the Capital Centre in Landover, Maryland. Porter played for the Trail Blazers from 1985-95. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) /
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Brian Grant, Portland Trail Blazers, Photo by GEORGE FREY/AFP via Getty Images
Brian Grant, Portland Trail Blazers, Photo by GEORGE FREY/AFP via Getty Images /

4. Brian Grant

Brian Grant played for the Blazers from 1997 to 2000 and was a key player on the teams that made the Western Conference Finals in 1999 and 2000. He was a tenacious power forward who could score, rebound, and defend. Grant was also a two-time All-Star.

Despite his contributions, he is sometimes overlooked as a top Blazer of all time for several reasons.

First, Grant played during an era that featured several dominant teams and players, including Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls, Shaquille O’Neal and the Los Angeles Lakers, and Tim Duncan and the San Antonio Spurs.

The Blazers were a good team during this era, but their success was somewhat overshadowed by these other teams and players.

Second, Grant played on a Blazers team that was deep with talent, and he was sometimes overshadowed by his more famous teammates like Rasheed Wallace and Scottie Pippen. Although he was a key contributor to the team’s success, he did not receive the same level of individual recognition as these players did.

Third, Grant’s time in Portland was relatively short, as he only played for the team for three seasons. While he was a key player during his time with the Blazers, his relatively brief tenure with the team may contribute to him being underrated as an all-time Blazers great.