The Portland Trail Blazers joined the NBA as an expansion team in 1970. They started on the wrong foot, finishing their first season with the third-worst record in the league at 29-53. However, one silver lining from their inaugural season was the "Original Trail Blazer" Geoff Petrie. He was Portland's first-ever draft pick, who they selected No. 8 overall. Petrie made the All-Star Game and won Rookie of the Year, making him one of the few bright spots in the Blazers' season.
Including Petrie's two All-Star selections, the Blazers have had 45 appearances. Unsurprisingly, most of the list consists of players who are arguably the top ten Blazers of all time. The two headliners are Damian Lillard and Clyde Drexler, who have a strong case for being considered the greatest Blazer in franchise history. Bill Walton is the other name up for debate, especially since he led Portland to their lone championship in 1977.
It all depends on what you value more. Walton had a higher peak between his Finals MVP (1977) and regular season MVP (1978), but Lillard and Drexler have stronger cases in terms of longevity. Lillard has made seven of his eight All-Star appearances with Rip City and is the franchise's all-time leading scorer, while Drexler had eight of his ten All-Star selections as a member of the Blazers.
Every Trail Blazers All-Star selection in history
The Blazers All-Star list goes beyond just Walton, Lillard, and Drexler. Here is the list in its entirety:
Year | Player(s) |
|---|---|
2022-23 | Damian Lillard |
2020-21 | Damian Lillard |
2019-20 | Damian Lillard |
2018-19 | Damian Lillard |
2017-18 | Damian Lillard |
2014-15 | Damian Lillard, LaMarcus Aldridge |
2013-14 | Damian Lillard, LaMarcus Aldridge |
2012-13 | LaMarcus Aldridge |
2011-12 | LaMarcus Aldridge |
2009-10 | Brandon Roy |
2008-09 | Brandon Roy |
2007-08 | Brandon Roy |
2000-01 | Rasheed Wallace |
1999-00 | Rasheed Wallace |
1993-94 | Clyde Drexler, Clifford Robinson |
1992-93 | Clyde Drexler, Terry Porter |
1991-92 | Clyde Drexler |
1990-91 | Clyde Drexler, Kevin Duckworth, Terry Porter |
1989-90 | Clyde Drexler |
1988-89 | Clyde Drexler, Kevin Duckworth |
1987-88 | Clyde Drexler, Steve Johnson |
1985-86 | Clyde Drexler |
1983-84 | Jim Paxson |
1982-83 | Jim Paxson |
1979-80 | Kermit Washington |
1978-79 | Maurice Lucas |
1977-78 | Lionel Hollins, Maurice Lucas, Bill Walton |
1976-77 | Maurice Lucas, Bill Walton |
1974-75 | Sidney Wicks |
1973-74 | Geoff Petrie, Sidney Wicks |
1972-73 | Sidney Wicks |
1971-72 | Sidney Wicks |
1970-71 | Geoff Petrie |
There were only two seasons where Portland had three players make the All-Star game: 1977-78 and 1990-91. In 1977-78, they finished with the best record in the league at 58-24 but fell to their former Pacific Northwest rival, the Seattle SuperSonics, in the Western Conference Semifinals.
The Blazers had an even more successful season in 1990-91 with a 63-19 record, which was Portland's best regular-season record in franchise history. Unfortunately, they came up short in the Western Conference Finals against Magic Johnson's Lakers.
Hopefully, the gap between Lillard in 2022-23 and the next future Blazers All-Star doesn't get too wide. It's highly doubtful that they get an All-Star selection this season. Of the Blazers currently on the roster, the players with the highest likelihood of making an appearance in the future are their most recent top ten picks—Shaedon Sharpe, Scoot Henderson, and Donovan Clingan.
Most of the spotlight has been on Portland's young backcourt duo, but Clingan is an under-the-radar candidate to make an All-Star team at some point. He's made an immediate impact at the NBA level with elite per-36 rebounding and block numbers. He still needs to improve offensively, but the primary thing he's lacking to make that next jump is an increased role and minutes.
Clingan is hovering around just 17 minutes this season. That should only increase as he improves his conditioning, especially since the starting spot seems inevitably his for the taking. Ideally, the Blazers move Deandre Ayton at the trade deadline to clear a path for Clingan to start.