Every NBA team inevitably has their share of draft day "what ifs" that haunt them. But some organizations, like the Portland Trail Blazers, have had it worse than others. Rip City has been so close to having its franchise take a completely different trajectory on multiple occasions.
The last star to go within a single pick of the Blazers was over a decade ago. Regardless, the numerous Hall of Fame players on the list make it a difficult read; this topic is especially rough for Blazers fans, and it cuts deeper than just the notorious Greg Oden and Sam Bowie selections.
Honorable mention: Brandon Miller - 2023
Trail Blazers pick: Scoot Henderson, No. 3
Other pick: Brandon Miller, No. 2 (Charlotte Hornets)
Brandon Miller is well on his way to making a significant impact in the league after a productive rookie season in which he received All-Rookie First-Team honors. Much of what made Miller a top draft prospect as a Freshman coming out of Alabama has already translated to the NBA. At 6-foot-7 with a smooth shooting stroke, his game is extremely similar to Paul George, Miller's idol whom he models his game after.
Miller could easily become a star, but it's too early to declare him one, making him an honorable mention. Let's hope history doesn't repeat itself in the 2024 NBA Draft for the Blazers, who are stocked with four picks in total.
1. Alex English - 1976
Trail Blazers pick: Johnny Davis, No. 22
Other pick: Alex English, No. 23 (Milwaukee Bucks)
Interestingly, the 1976 NBA Draft was ten rounds long. Despite the draft consisting of 173 players, Alex English had one of the best careers amongst the entire draft class. In 2022, The Athletic ranked the greatest NBA players of all time. English deservedly made the cut, coming in at No. 71.
In English's Hall of Fame career, he averaged 21.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 3.6 assists on 51/22/83 shooting splits. The large discrepancy between his free throw and three-point efficiency perfectly summed up his game. While not a prolific three-point shooter, English could score at will inside the arc with his soft touch. As a versatile 6-foot-8 forward, he was able to get to his spots with his size and ability to create space.
Although the Milwaukee Bucks selected English, he had most of his success in Denver. In 11 seasons with the Nuggets, his scoring output increased to 25.9 points a game, even becoming the NBA scoring champion in 1983. English also had an impressive eight All-Star appearances in a row and three All-NBA Second Team selections with the Nuggets.
Unfortunately for the Trail Blazers, missing out on English in the 1976 NBA Draft was only the beginning. Within the following ten years, they missed out on three extremely significant Hall of Fame players by a single pick.
2. Larry Bird - 1978
Trail Blazers pick: Ron Brewer, No. 7
Other pick: Larry Bird, No. 6 (Boston Celtics)
The Trail Blazers also had the No. 1 overall pick in the 1978 NBA Draft, selecting two-time NBA champion Mychal Thompson, father of Golden State Warriors sharpshooter Klay Thompson. But the headliner from the draft is Hall of Fame legend Larry Bird, who went one pick before the Blazers had another chance to snag him. Admittedly, Bird going to the Celtics was great for the NBA and revolutionized the league with the rivalry between Bird's Celtics and Magic Johnson's Lakers.
Bird was a less athletic, better-shooting version of LeBron James. He was a 6-foot-9 forward with elite court vision and the ability to initiate offense like a point guard. Since entering the league as a 23-year-old, Bird made the All-Star game every season of his 13-year career, with the only exception being in 1988, when he only played six games due to an Achilles injury.
Bird could've even had a more productive career had it not been for the injury, as he didn't return to the same level of dominance. Still, it's hard to imagine a three-time NBA champion, two-time Finals MVP, and three-time MVP having a better career.
It doesn't sting as much when the player is picked right before the Blazers instead of right after. But Larry Bird is a top-ten player in NBA history—The Athletic ranked Bird No. 7 all-time—so obviously, there's still reason for Blazers fans to be salty.
3. Hakeem Olajuwon - 1984
Trail Blazers pick: Sam Bowie, No. 2
Other pick: Hakeem Olajuwon, No. 1 (Houston Rockets)
Ah yes, 1984 - the worst draft of them all. If you were a team picking in the top five, there was a 60 percent chance you ended up with a Hall of Fame prospect between Hakeem Olajuwon, some random guy no one has ever heard of at No. 3, and Charles Barkley at No. 5.
The Blazers obtained this first-round pick in a previous trade with the Indiana Pacers. The Pacers finished with the same record as the Rockets but lost the coin toss tiebreaker for the No. 1 overall pick.
May 23, 1984: Houston wins a coin flip over Portland, and will draft first in the upcoming NBA Draft.
— NBA Cobwebs (@NBACobwebs) May 23, 2024
Rockets head coach Bill Fitch says they will use the #1 pick to select Akeem Olajuwon. Blazers owner Larry Weinberg said his team is "very interested" in taking Sam Bowie at #2. pic.twitter.com/r0vFd65H8T
Still coveting a center after missing out on Olajuwon, the Blazers went with Sam Bowie, and the rest is history. Hakeem "the Dream" had a legendary Hall of Fame career. In 18 impressive seasons, Olajuwon averaged 21.8 points, 11.1 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 3.1 blocks, and 1.7 steals.
The Athletic ranked him at No. 11 all-time. The accolades speak for themself: two-time NBA champion, two-time Finals MVP, NBA MVP, 12-time All-Star, and two-time Defensive Player of the Year. You could make a legitimate case for him being the greatest center ever, especially when factoring in longevity - Olajuwon played until he was 39.
4. Michael Jordan - 1984
Trail Blazers pick: Sam Bowie, No. 2
Other pick: Michael Jordan, No. 3 (Chicago Bulls)
The Trail Blazers already had Clyde Drexler and Jim Paxson, so Michael Jordan didn't make sense from a positional fit standpoint. But their reluctance to take the best player available certainly backfired. To make matters worse, Thompson and Drexler wanted the front office to draft MJ and thought they "would dominate the league for the next 15 years."
Bowie is widely considered one of the worst draft picks in sports history. But in his defense, he did last a decade in the league and averaged a serviceable 10.9 points and 7.5 rebounds per game despite an injury-laden career. His label as an all-time bust has more to do with the fact that the Bulls selected arguably the greatest player of all time just one pick later.
The Athletic, along with most of the world, has Jordan ranked as the No. 1 player in the history of the NBA. In his fifteen-year career, Jordan averaged 30.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game on 50/33/84 shooting splits. MJ is best known for his competitiveness, elite athleticism, and ability to make big-time shots during crunch time.
However, an underappreciated aspect of his game is his defense. Jordan averaged 2.3 steals and almost a block per game. He was an elite on-ball defender and made nine All-Defensive First Team appearances.
MJ was a six-time NBA champion, six-time NBA Finals MVP, five-time NBA MVP, 14-time NBA All-Star, ten-time All-NBA First Team, and the list goes on (and could have somehow been even longer had it not been for his multiple retirements). He even defeated the Monstars in Space Jam. There's nothing more Jordan could have done to cement his legacy as an all-time great.
5. Mark Price - 1986
Trail Blazers pick: Arvydas Sabonis, No. 24
Other pick: Mark Price, No. 25 (Dallas Mavericks)
Although Arvydas Sabonis is in the Hall of Fame and spent his entire NBA career with the Blazers, he still barely missed the top ten Blazers of all time list. Sabonis made it to the NBA when he was already 31 years old and only played seven seasons. He was an excellent player who would have easily made the list had he played in Portland longer. Despite his limited time in the NBA, Sabonis was a solid pick for the Blazers.
At 7-foot-3, he played like a bigger version of his son, Sacramento Kings' Domantas Sabonis. Both are physical centers with high basketball IQs and positional playmaking ability. His game is also reminiscent of a different Rip City center—the late Bill Walton, another big man who was a great rebounder with exceptional court vision (and whose career was limited by injuries). Even though the Blazers missed out on a star in the draft, this particular one worked out fine for them.
Still, Mark Price fits the criteria of a star selected within a single pick. Price was a four-time NBA All-Star with four All-NBA selections. One of the best shooters in league history, Price averaged 15.2 points, 6.7 assists, and 2.6 rebounds per game for his career.
Price was a 50-40-90 member for only one season but nearly averaged it for his entire career with 47/40/90 shooting splits, showcasing his efficiency and elite shooting. Price's style of play would have benefited even more from the spacing, pace, and premium on shooting in today's NBA. Regardless, he had an exceptional career.
6. Kevin Durant - 2007
Trail Blazers pick: Greg Oden No. 1
Other pick: Kevin Durant, No. 2 (Seattle Supersonics)
Outside of Sam Bowie, the most disappointing draft selection in Portland Trail Blazers history has to be Greg Oden. Oden's lack of success in the NBA was mainly a result of his multiple injuries and knee surgeries, so it's not entirely fair to compare him to Sam Bowie. The pick made sense then - Oden was dominant as a Freshman at Ohio State. Steve Kerr, back when he was a Yahoo Sports writer, even called him a "once-in-a-decade player."
" I've talked with a lot of people around the league, and everyone is saying that if they trade a first-round pick in next year's draft, they'll lottery-protect it. Oden is a once-in-a-decade type player, and if a team has any chance of getting him, it has to hang on to that chance."Steve Kerr
At the time, the perception around the league was that the Blazers were extremely lucky to land the No. 1 overall pick and have the opportunity to select a generational prospect like Oden. But in retrospect, like these other Blazers picks, it was another unfortunate selection.
It didn't help the Blazers' case when a Hall of Fame prospect like Kevin Durant was available. Despite still being in the league, The Athletic ranked Durant as the 13th-best player of all time. By the time Durant's career is up, he could be considered a top-ten player, given his continued success and high level of play. He's one of the best scorers the league has ever seen as a 6-foot-11 forward who nearly averages 50-40-90 shooting splits in his career.
Durant is a two-time NBA champion, two-time Finals MVP, league MVP, 14-time All-Star, and four-time NBA scoring champion. At 35, his resume already ranks among the best. Portland significantly missed out on this one.
7. DeAndre Jordan - 2008
Trail Blazers pick: Omer Asik, No. 36
Other pick: DeAndre Jordan, No. 35 (Los Angeles Clippers)
While he's not a Hall of Fame type player like most players on this list, DeAndre Jordan had a very underrated career and deserves star recognition. He's a recent NBA champion, an NBA All-Star, and has three All-NBA selections.
Jordan, 6-foot-11 with a great vertical, had a long stretch of being one of the best rebounders in the NBA. The Clippers' franchise-leading rebounder, Jordan, led the league twice, averaging over 15 a game in both seasons. Additionally, Jordan's length and athleticism contributed to his elite rim-protecting ability. He is also the franchise leader in blocks and made two NBA All-Defensive First-Team appearances.
The major knock on Jordan is his shooting, but he was able to contribute on offense as a tremendous lob threat, especially with Chris Paul during the "Lob City" Clippers era. It's easy to envision him in a similar role had he ended up in Portland instead.
Jordan is the exact type of center that the Blazers could have used to complement their Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum guard pairing. The Lillard and McCollum backcourt duo was lethal on offense but undersized, which made them a liability on the defensive end. Jordan would have made up for their weaknesses with his rebounding and rim protection.
8. Khris Middleton - 2012
Trail Blazers pick: Will Barton, No. 40
Other pick: Khris Middleton, No. 39 (Detroit Pistons)
As far as No. 40 overall picks go, Will Barton was a solid selection for Portland. Unfortunately, he didn't peak until he left the Trail Blazers to go to the Denver Nuggets, where he went on to win two Six Man of the Year awards as a microwave scorer who provided tremendous energy off the bench. It would have been nice to have Khris Middleton instead.
Like DeAndre Jordan, Middleton is another underrated star. He started his NBA career underutilized in Detroit before eventually being traded to the Milwaukee Bucks. He was an essential part of the Bucks' 2021 championship run over the Phoenix Suns and even had a career-high 40-point outing in Game 4.
To go along with his Finals ring, Middleton is also a three-time NBA All-Star. In his career, he's averaged 16.9 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 3.9 assists on efficient 46/39/88 shooting splits. Middleton is an underrated star because he isn't necessarily flashy; he makes the right reads and rarely tries to force anything.
Middleton is an ideal complementary star because of his elite shooting and ability to play within the game's flow. He knows his role as a sidekick and plays it to perfection, as evidenced in the 2021 Finals. As a 6-foot-7 sharpshooting wing, Middleton is another piece that would have fit in seamlessly with Damian Lillard, who was selected No. 6 overall in the same draft class.