Of all the NBA greats to play for the Portland Trail Blazers over the past 50+ years, Damian Lillard is proving to be one of the best. On December 19, he became the Trail Blazers’ all-time leader in points when he scored his 18,041st point – a record previously held by Clyde Drexler for more than 27 years.
The momentous achievement came in Portland’s 123-121 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Lillard tied Drexler’s mark with a three-pointer in the third quarter and set the record with a free throw later in that same quarter. He only needed 21 points entering the game, but ended up scoring 28 points in 39 minutes.
It took Lillard a total of 730 games (730 starts) between 2012 and 2023 to break a record that originally took Drexler 867 games (733 starts) between 1983 and 1995. With Lillard intent on finishing his career with the Portland Trail Blazers, there’s a good chance no one touches his record for a very long time.
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20 Other NBA Greats Who Played for the Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers were founded in 1970 and joined the NBA as an expansion team – they began play in the 1970-71 season. They struggled to win consistently in the early years of the franchise, but it didn’t take long for them to make a splash – beating the Philadelphia 76ers in the 1977 NBA Finals.
Between the 1977-78 and 2002-03 seasons (25 years), the Trail Blazers made the playoffs in all but one season (1981-82) – they were 2-2 in the Conference Finals and 0-2 in the NBA Finals during that time. They struggled for a few years, but they’ve made the playoffs regularly ever since drafting Damian Lillard.
All in all, the Portland Trail Blazers have a 2,238-1,960 (.533) regular season record and 119-155 (.434) postseason record since 1970. They’ve seen six players go on to the Hall of Fame, three players named MVP, and four players named Rookie of the Year – one of which was Damian Lillard in 2012-13.
We get to see Lillard put on a show almost every night today, but let’s take a look at some of the other NBA greats who have played for the Portland Trail Blazers over the years (in no particular order)!
20. Damon Stoudamire
Damon Stoudamire was a point guard who spent 13 years in the NBA – 8 of which with the Portland Trail Blazers. During that time, he averaged 12.8 points, 3.5 rebounds, 5.7 assists, and 1.1 steals in 33.1 minutes per game. He played in 529 games for the Trail Blazers and started in 482 of those games.
He was traded to the team during the 1997-98 season after spending the past 2.5 years with the Toronto Raptors. He put up 19.6 points, 4.1 rebounds, 8.8 assists, and 1.5 steals in 200 games played with the Raptors and won Rookie of the Year in 1995-96. Unfortunately, he wasn’t as effective for Portland.
19. Jerome Kersey
Jerome Kersey was a 6-foot-7, 215-pound small forward who was drafted by the Portland Trail Blazers with the No. 46 overall pick (2nd round) in 1984. He spent the first 11 years of his career and played in 831 games (447 starts) with the Trail Blazers – he became a regular starter by the 1987-88 season.
Kersey averaged 12.1 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.3 steals, and 0.7 blocks per game in Portland – including a career-high 19.2 points per game in 79 games during the 1987-88 season. He went on to play for five other teams during his career and even won a championship with the San Antonio Spurs in 1999.
18. Jim Paxson
Jim Paxson was a 6-foot-6, 200-pound guard who was drafted by the Portland Trail Blazers with the No. 12 overall pick (1st round) in 1979. He spent the first 8.5 years of his career with the team before finishing with the Boston Celtics over the next 2.5 seasons. He played his best basketball in Portland, though.
In 627 games played (334 starts) with Portland, Paxson averaged 16.0 points, 2.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 1.4 steals in 29.3 minutes per game. He was a two-time All-Star with the team in 1982-83 (21.7 points per game) and 1983-84 (21.3 points per game) and was also named to the 1983-84 All-NBA team.
17. Maurice Lucas
Maurice Lucas was a 6-foot-9, 215-pound power forward who only spent four full seasons (and one half-season) with the Portland Trail Blazers between 1976 and 1980, and then in 1987-88. During that time, he averaged 15.6 points, 8.7 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 0.8 blocks, and 0.7 steals in 330 games.
Lucas made his NBA debut with the team during the 1976-77 season, but spent the previous two seasons in the ABA with the Spirits of St. Louis and Kentucky Colonels. Lucas averaged 20.2 points per game in his first season with Portland and a career-high 20.4 points per game in his third season with the team.
16. Rod Strickland
Rod Strickland was a 6-foot-3, 175-pound guard who spent four full seasons and one half-season with the Portland Trail Blazers between 1992 and 1996, and in 2000-01. He played some of his best ball in Portland, averaging 16.2 points, 4.3 rebounds, 8.2 assists, and 1.6 steals in 312 games with the team.
After averaging 13.7 points and 7.2 assists per game in his first season with Portland, Strickland put up 17.2 points and 9.0 assists in 1993-94, 18.9 points and 8.8 assists in 1994-95, and 18.7 points and 9.6 assists in 1995-96. He returned for 21 games during the 2000-01 season, but wasn’t nearly as effective.
15. Scottie Pippen
Scottie Pippen was a 6-foot-8, 210-pound small forward who was best known for his time with the Chicago Bulls, but he later moved on to the Rockets and eventually the Portland Trail Blazers – where he spent four seasons between 1999 and 2003. He wasn’t the same player, but still brought a lot to the team.
Pippen played 272 games (260 starts) for the Trail Blazers and averaged 11.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 1.5 steals per game. He was a bonafide leader for Portland, who were in desperate need of it at the time. In 2010, Pippen was inducted into the Hall of Fame – mostly because of his Bulls’ career.
14. CJ McCollum
CJ McCollum is a 6-foot-3, 190-pound shooting guard who was drafted by the Portland Trail Blazers with the No. 10 overall pick (1st round) in 2013 – he was Damian Lillard’s favorite teammate during his time in Portland. He spent the first eight seasons with the team, but was traded halfway through his ninth season.
McCollum only averaged 6.3 points per game in his first two seasons with the team, but averaged 21.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 0.9 steals per game in his next six seasons. He was the perfect No. 2 player alongside Lillard, but the team decided to go in a different direction during the 2021-22 season.
13. Lionel Hollins
Lionel Hollins was a 6-foot-3, 185-pound point guard who was drafted by the Portland Trail Blazers with the No. 6 overall pick (1st round) in 1975. He played four full seasons and one half-season with the team between 1975 and 1980, but Portland decided to trade him midway through the season for a draft pick.
In 315 games played for the Trail Blazers, Hollins averaged 13.9 points, 2.6 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and 1.9 steals per game. He was an All-Star for the team in 1977-78 and helped lead the team to an NBA Championship in 1977. He was also a 2-time All-Defensive player and played his best ball in the playoffs.
12. Rasheed Wallace
Rasheed Wallace was a 6-foot-10, 225-pound power forward who played seven full seasons and one half-season with the Portland Trail Blazers between 1996 and 2004. He spent his rookie season with the Washington Bullets before being traded to Portland for Rod Strickland (from above) – among others.
Wallace received 500 starts in 544 games played during his time with Portland. He averaged 16.8 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.0 steals, and 1.3 blocks per game with the team. He was also a two-time All-Star for Portland in 1999-00 and 2000-01. He later won the 2004 NBA Championship with Detroit.
11. Mychal Thompson
Mychal Thompson was a 6-foot-10, 226-pound center who was drafted by the Portland Trail Blazers with the No. 1 overall pick (1st round) in 1978 – becoming the first foreign-born player to go No. 1 overall in the NBA Draft. He was effective for the team, but never quite lived up to the hype and was eventually traded.
Thompson received 365 starts in 551 games played during his time with Portland. He averaged 16.7 points, 8.9 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 0.9 steals, and 1.4 blocks in 34.3 minutes per game with the team. Today, he’s best known as the father of Klay Thompson, a shooting guard for the Golden State Warriors.
10. Sidney Wicks
Sidney Wicks was a 6-foot-8, 225-pound power forward who was drafted by the Portland Trail Blazers with the No. 2 overall pick (1st round) in 1971. He was named Rookie of the Year in his first season with the team and represented Portland in the All-Star game four years in a row between 1971 and 1975.
Wicks spent five seasons with the Trail Blazers and averaged more than 21 points per game in four of them. In 398 games played in Portland, he averaged 22.3 points, 10.3 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.2 steals, and 0.8 blocks in 38.8 minutes per game. The Trail Blazers won a title the same year he jumped ship.
9. Clifford Robinson
Clifford Robinson was a 6-foot-10, 225-pound forward-center who was drafted by the Portland Trail Blazers with the No. 36 overall pick (2nd round) in 1989. He spent the first eight seasons of his career with the team and was as reliable as they come – playing in all 82 games in five of those seasons.
In 644 games played with the Trail Blazers, Robinson averaged 16.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.1 steals, and 1.1 blocks in 30.8 minutes per game. He was named Sixth Man of the Year in 1992-93 with 19.1 points, 6.6 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.2 steals, and 2.0 blocks in 31.4 minutes per game.
8. Buck Williams
Buck Williams was a 6-foot-8, 215-pound power forward who spent the first eight seasons of his career with the New Jersey Nets before joining the Portland Trail Blazers – where he spent seven seasons between 1989 and 1996. During that time, he made 497 starts and played in 557 games for the team.
Williams averaged 10.2 points, 8.7 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 0.8 steals, and 0.6 blocks in 30.8 minutes per game with the Trail Blazers. He was definitely a better player with the Nets, but he helped lead the team to three Western Conference Finals appearances and two NBA Finals appearances in a three-year span.
7. Arvydas Sabonis
Arvydas Sabonis was a 7-foot-3, 279-pound center who was drafted by the Portland Trail Blazers with the No. 24 overall pick (1st round) in 1986. He played professionally overseas until the 1995-96 season, when he finally made his NBA debut with Portland. He spent his entire seven-year career with the team.
Sabonis made 314 starts and played in 470 games for the Trail Blazers between 1995 and 2003. He averaged 12.0 points, 7.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 0.8 steals, and 1.1 blocks during his time with the team. He was a member of the 1995-96 All-Rookie team and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2011.
6. Terry Porter
Terry Porter was a 6-foot-3, 195-pound point guard who was drafted by the Portland Trail Blazers with the No. 24 overall pick (1st round) in 1985. He spent the first 10 seasons of his career with the team and was a two-time All-Star – once in 1990-91 and again in 1992-93. He played his best ball in the playoffs.
Porter made 613 starts and played in 758 games with the Trail Blazers between 1985 and 1995. During that time, he averaged 14.9 points, 3.5 rebounds, 7.0 assists, and 1.6 steals in 31.6 minutes per game. He helped lead Portland to three Western Conference Finals and two NBA Finals in a three-year span.
5. Geoff Petrie
Geoff Petrie was a 6-foot-4, 190-pound guard who was drafted by the Portland Trail Blazers with the No. 8 overall pick (1st round) in 1970. He was named Rookie of the Year in his first season and was a two-time All-Star with the team. Unfortunately, his career was cut short after a knee injury sidelined him.
Petrie played in 446 games for the Trail Blazes between 1970 and 1976. During that time, he averaged 21.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, 4.6 assists, and 1.1 steals in 37.6 minutes per game. He put up a career-high 24.9 points per game in 1972-73, which was 0.1 points better than his 24.8 points per game as a rookie.
4. LaMarcus Aldridge
LaMarcus Aldridge was a 6-foot-11, 250-pound power forward who was drafted by the Chicago Bulls with the No. 2 overall pick (1st round) in 2006 – his rights were traded to the Portland Trail Blazers moments later. He would go on to spend the first nine seasons of his career with the Trail Blazers.
Aldridge made 607 starts and played in 648 games for Portland between 2006 and 2015. During that time, he averaged 19.4 points, 8.4 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 0.8 steals, and 1.0 blocks in 35.5 minutes per game. He was a four-time All-Star with the team and had at least 20 points per game five times.
3. Brandon Roy
Brandon Roy was a 6-foot-6, 215-pound shooting guard who was drafted by the Minnesota Timberwolves with the No. 6 overall pick (1st round) in 2006, but his rights were traded to the Portland Trail Blazers just moments later. He was named Rookie of the Year in his first season with the team.
Roy made 295 starts and played in 321 games for Portland between 2006 and 2011. During that time, he averaged 19.0 points, 4.3 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 1.0 steals in 35.6 minutes per game. He was a three-time All-Star, but injuries derailed his career and he quickly faded out of the league – unfortunately.
2. Bill Walton
Bill Walton was a 6-foot-11, 210-pound center who was drafted by the Portland Trail Blazers with the No. 1 overall pick (1st round) in 1974. He spent the first four years of his career with the team and helped lead them to a title in 1977, where he was the Finals MVP, and won MVP of the league the following season.
Walton played in 209 games with the Trail Blazers between 1974 and 1978. During that time, he averaged 17.1 points, 13.5 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 1.0 steals, and 2.6 blocks in 33.7 minutes per game. Injuries derailed his career, but he eventually returned and won a second title with the Boston Celtics.
1. Clyde Drexler
Clyde Drexler was a 6-foot-7, 210-pound shooting guard who was drafted by the Portland Trail Blazers with the No. 14 overall pick (1st round) in 1983. He played 11 full seasons and one half-season with the team between 1983 and 1995, making 733 starts and playing in 867 games for the team during that time.
Drexler averaged 20.8 points, 6.2 rebounds, 5.7 assists, 2.1 steals, and 0.7 blocks in 34.0 minutes per game with the Trail Blazers. He was an eight-time All-Star for the team and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2004. Before Damian Lillard came into the picture, he was the clear G.O.A.T in Blazers’ history.
What’s Next for Damian Lillard and the Portland Trail Blazers?
The Portland Trail Blazers drafted Damian Lillard with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft. While they failed to make the playoffs that year, they did make the playoffs eight years in a row after that – including a trip to the Conference Finals in 2018-19. Unfortunately, they missed the cut last season.
That was to be expected, though – considering Lillard only played 29 games last year due to injury and wasn’t himself in the few games he did play. He’s back in 2022-23 and averaging a career-high 32.3 points per game in the process, adding 4.6 rebounds, 7.2 assists, and 0.9 steals in 53 games played.
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Despite his individual success this year, the team is just 31-35 through 66 games and currently sit in 12th place in the Western Conference – not good enough for the play-in tournament, but there’s still time. So, what’s next for them? The playoffs would be nice, but they need a championship – it’s been 45+ years.
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