The Portland Trail Blazers franchise has had its fair share of ups and downs since being founded in 1970. Their most significant accomplishment came in 1977 when they won the NBA championship.
Led by legendary players like Bill Walton and Maurice Lucas, the Blazers defeated the Philadelphia 76ers in six games to win their only title.
They’ve also been unfortunate at times, specifically in terms of injury. Players such as Greg Oden, Brandon Roy, and Walton all had their Blazers careers hindered.
Portland has also had unique personalities to keep things interesting, like Walton and Rasheed Wallace.
While not particularly competitive this season, there was a time not too long ago when the Blazers were atop the Western Conference. That said, here’s a ranking of the top 10 all-time Blazers greats who helped contribute to those special teams that solidified their place in NBA history.
No. 10 – Rasheed Wallace
Wallace had career averages of 14 points, 7 rebounds, and 1 block on 47 percent field goal/34 percent 3-point/72 percent free-throw shooting shooting splits. However, his time in Portland saw him emerge as one of the best power forwards in the league.
He averaged 17 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block during his time with the Blazers. He was ahead of his time in terms of a power forward that could shoot from beyond the arc; his ability to stretch the floor and protect the paint made him a nightmare for opposing teams.
Wallace’s personality wasn’t for everyone. He was a player you loved if he was on your team and likely despised if he wasn’t. He’s top five all-time in technical fouls with 317. He holds the record for most technical fouls (41) and most ejections (29) in a season.
While Wallace’s personality may have rubbed some people the wrong way, there is no denying his impact on the Blazers.
He helped lead the team to four straight playoff appearances from 1999 to 2002, including a Western Conference Finals appearance in 2000. Wallace went on to win an NBA championship with the Detroit Pistons in 2004, but his time in Portland remains one of the highlights of his career.
No. 9 – CJ McCollum
After selecting Damian Lillard out of Weber State sixth overall in the 2012 NBA Draft, the Blazers struck gold on another guard from a small school the following year when CJ McCollum was taken 10th overall out of Lehigh University.
He had nine highly productive seasons with the Blazers. Now 31 years old and in his 11th season, CJ has career averages of 19 points, 4 assists, and 4 rebounds.
He’s always been an elite scorer, with 45/40/81 shooting splits for his career. In 2016, McCollum earned Most Improved Player honors.
The year prior, CJ was limited to only playing 16 minutes a game in his second year. He was stuck behind a crowded depth chart; the Blazers had shooting guards Wesley Matthews, Arron Afflalo, and Allen Crabbe.
The following year, McCollum’s opportunity increased significantly. He went from starting only three games to starting 80, and his minutes increased from 16 to 35. CJ took advantage of the increased opportunity by averaging 21 points, 4 assists, and 3 rebounds that year.
Since his third season, CJ’s numbers have been very consistent. McCollum is great offensively – he’s a reliable scorer that is also great at setting up teammates.
No. 8 – Maurice Lucas
“The Enforcer” Maurice Lucas played a pivotal role in the Blazers’ 1976-77 championship run. He was infamously ejected in Game 2 of the Finals for hitting 76ers’ forward Darryl Dawkins from behind during a scuffle.
The No. 2 pick in the ABA Dispersal Draft that season, Lucas immediately contributed coming into the NBA.
Due to trading their first-ever pick and star player George Petrie, along with Steve Hawes, to the Hawks, the Blazers acquired the opportunity to select Lucas second overall. That was one of the best seasons of his career as he averaged 20 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal.
To put it in perspective, Lucas averaged around 15 points, 9 rebounds, and 2.5 assists for his career.
One main reason Lucas’ skillset was so polished already going into the league was his two years in the American Basketball Association (ABA) with the Spirits of St. Louis and Kentucky Colonels. Lucas was named to the ABA All-Time Team for those two productive seasons.
After that, Lucas jumped around the NBA a bit, playing 12 seasons for six teams, including the Nets, Knicks, Suns, Lakers, and Sonics.
However, he’ll always be remembered as a Blazer. Lucas played five seasons with the Blazers and was a crucial factor in helping win their only NBA Championship.
Lucas has his number 20 jersey retired in Portland, and deservedly so.
No. 7 – Brandon Roy
Roy was the sixth overall pick out of Washington in 2006. He was impactful immediately, earning the Rookie of the Year award. Roy averaged 17 points, 4 assists, and 4 rebounds in his first year in the league.
In his career, he had averages of 19 points, 5 assists, 4 rebounds, and 1 steal on 46/35/80 shooting splits.
Roy was one of the most exciting Blazers to watch. Unfortunately, he is also one of the biggest what-ifs this franchise has had. His peak was incredible, but he was limited to five seasons with the Blazers due to a knee issue where he lacked cartilage.
He was highly productive in those five years, making the All-Star team three times. He was also awarded All-NBA Second Team honors in 2009 and All-NBA Third Team honors in 2010.
Kobe Bryant was asked in 2010 who he thought the most demanding player to guard was. He responded, “Brandon Roy, 365, 7 days a week. Roy has no weaknesses in his game.”
If Roy had a longer career in Portland, he would be even higher on this list. The amount of success Roy had with such a limited time in the league is awe-inspiring and a testament to his skill set.
No. 6 – Geoff Petrie
The Trail Blazers were founded in 1970. They had the eighth overall pick for their first season.
With that pick, they selected Geoff Petrie, a shooting guard out of Princeton. Because of that, he’s known as the “Original Trail Blazer.”
Petrie proceeded to win Co-Rookie of the Year. He averaged 25 points, 5 assists, and 3 rebounds in his rookie campaign.
Like Roy, Petrie’s career was unfortunately cut short due to a knee injury. His career ended in 1976, so he just missed the addition of the 3-pointer, which was introduced in 1979. He only played six seasons in the NBA.
In those six seasons, Petrie averaged 22 points, 5 assists, 3 rebounds, and 1 steal on 45 percent field goal shooting and 80 percent free throw shooting. He was a two-time NBA All-Star.
Petrie was part of a league-altering trade with the Atlanta Hawks that landed the Blazers Lucas, who went on to win a championship with Portland. Petrie didn’t end up playing with Atlanta, as that was when he suffered his career-ending knee injury.
Even if Portland traded him, Petrie is a Blazer forever. He has his number 45 hanging in the rafters at Moda Center.
No. 5 – Terry Porter
Terry Porter had an incredible 17-year career, evidenced by the Blazers retiring his number 30.
Porter was selected 24th overall by Portland out of the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. The Blazers tend to strike gold with guards out of small schools, and Porter was no exception.
Porter went on to play 10 of his 17 seasons with the Blazers, making the All-Star team twice (1991 and 1993). For his career, Porter averaged 12 points, 6 assists, 3 rebounds, and 1 steal on 46/39/84 shooting splits.
However, because he played so many seasons, Porter’s career averages are skewed and not an accurate portrayal of his prime seasons.
For context, in his first all-star season, Porter averaged 17 points, 8 assists, 4 rebounds, and 2 steals. He was highly efficient as well, with 52/42/82 shooting splits. As a scorer, Porter’s numbers don’t jump off the page, but he did all the little things exceptionally well.
With that kind of scoring efficiency, playmaking ability, and steal frequency, Porter was one of those players that contributed to winning when he was on the court. His ability to impact the game in multiple aspects and the longevity of his career gives him the spot at No. 5 on this list.
No. 4 – LaMarcus Aldridge
LaMarcus Aldridge was a dominant power forward. He had a successful 17-year career, playing nine seasons with the Blazers, six with the Spurs, and two with the Nets. He was a seven-time NBA All-Star, four of which came as a Blazer.
In addition, he earned two All-NBA Second Team and three All-NBA Third Team selections.
Despite not being an exceptional 3-point shooter, he was widely known for his elite midrange shot, especially for someone standing at 6-foot-11. He maintained impressive career averages of 19 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 block on 49/81/32 shooting splits.
Aldridge was selected second overall in the 2006 NBA Draft from the University of Texas. Initially picked by the Chicago Bulls, the Blazers traded for the rights to the pick, exchanging their fourth-overall pick Tyrus Thomas and Viktor Khryapa.
The peak of Aldridge’s career was during his final seasons with the Blazers. He represented the team in four of his five consecutive All-Star appearances, averaging more than 20 points and 10 rebounds per game.
Aldridge played in the era of elite power forwards, including Tim Duncan, Dirk Nowitzki, and Chris Bosh. Despite not experiencing much postseason success, his name deserves to be in the conversation for one of the best power forwards of that era.
He exemplified everything a person would want in a prototypical power forward.
No. 3 – Bill Walton
Bill Walton was the Blazers’ first overall pick out of UCLA in 1974. Like Aldridge, Walton’s career peak was also with Portland.
Walton’s two All-Star appearances were in his last two seasons with the Blazers. He averaged more than 18 points in both years. However, his contributions and impact on the floor went way beyond scoring.
In those seasons, Walton averaged more than 13 rebounds, 4 assists, and close to 3 blocks. He was an elite rebounder, passer, and rim protector.
The Blazers won the 1977 title, and Walton led the entire league in rebounding (14) and blocks per game (3).
He knew how to put his team in the best position to win and did it at every level. As a result, Walton won two championships at UCLA (1972 and 1973) and two in the NBA, one with Portland (1977) and the other with Boston (1986).
Walton was the Finals MVP in his championship run with the Blazers, averaging 19 points and 19 rebounds.
That following 1978 season, he was awarded NBA MVP. That season, he improved his playmaking to average 5 assists as a center.
Unfortunately, Walton’s career was limited by foot injuries. He missed four seasons throughout his career due to recurring foot issues. When he returned, Walton didn’t seem to be the same elite player he once was with the Blazers. He was still great, but not entirely on the same level of dominance.
Don’t be fooled by his unique personality; Walton had one of the highest basketball IQs in the game. He knew what it took to win and did exactly that. His number 32 jersey is retired in Portland.
No. 2 – Clyde Drexler
Clyde “The Glide” Drexler was an incredible talent and is regarded as one of the top 10 shooting guards ever. Drexler played for 15 seasons in the NBA, spending 12 of those years as a member of the Trail Blazers.
He was the 14th overall pick in the 1983 NBA Draft and became a 10-time NBA All-Star, eight of which were in Portland.
Drexler’s impressive career includes two All-NBA Second Team and two All-NBA Third Team selections, as well as being named to the 50th and 75th NBA Anniversary Teams.
In addition, he won a Gold Medal in 1992 as a member of the United States “Dream Team” and was a 1995 NBA Champion with the Houston Rockets.
Drexler’s career averages of 20 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 steals on 47/32/79 shooting splits are a testament to his all-around skills. Thanks to his incredible athleticism and quick hands, he’s also in the top 10 of the NBA’s all-time steals list.
Drexler led the Blazers to the NBA Finals in 1990 and 1992 but ultimately lost to historic Pistons and Bulls teams. Nevertheless, Drexler’s place among the greatest shooting guards of all time is solidified by his number 20 being retired by both Portland and Houston and his induction into the Hall of Fame.
No. 1 – Damian Lillard
Damian Lillard has had a career that is nothing short of spectacular. The 11-year NBA veteran has played his entire career with the Trail Blazers and has been an integral part of their success.
As of this writing, Lillard is the franchise’s all-time leading scorer, with over 19,000 points.
When asked if he should be considered the greatest Blazer player ever, he responded, “I think the body of work is there for that claim to be made by other people, but it’s not for me to say.”
Lillard’s on-court success speaks for itself. He is among the top 100 all time in the NBA in both assists and scoring, and he was named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team.
Lillard was drafted sixth overall out of Weber State in the 2012 NBA Draft and won Rookie of the Year. He has been selected to the NBA All-Star Game seven times. He has career averages of 25 points, 7 assists, 4 rebounds, and 1 steal on 44/37/90 shooting splits.
Lillard is one of the best shooters in the league and won the 3-point shooting contest this season. He is currently having a career year at age 32, averaging 32 points, 7 assists, and 5 rebounds. As a result, Lillard should be in consideration for First-Team All-NBA at the guard position.
Despite never having a finals appearance like Drexler’s two, Lillard has taken advantage of his opportunities to make a deep run in the playoffs. He is also known as “Dame Time” because he has a reputation for being a clutch player.
The biggest shot of his career came in the 2018-19 season when he hit a ridiculous game-winning three from the logo to cap off a 50-point performance and knock the Oklahoma City Thunder out of the playoffs.
Lillard has had a legendary career with the Blazers. He wears the “letter O” on his jersey to represent Oregon, and the state is fortunate to have him. One day, the “letter O” jersey will hang alongside the other Blazers legends in the rafters.