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Portland Trail Blazers: 25 Best Players To Play For The Trail Blazers

By Phil Watson

Oct 29, 2014; Portland, OR, USA; A general view during a game between the Portland Trail Blazers and Oklahoma City Thunder during the fourth quarter at the Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Craig Mitchelldyer-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 29, 2014; Portland, OR, USA; A general view during a game between the Portland Trail Blazers and Oklahoma City Thunder during the fourth quarter at the Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Craig Mitchelldyer-USA TODAY Sports /
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22 Apr 2001: Rod Strickland #1 of the Portland Trail Blazers drives past Brian Shaw #20 of the Los ANgeles Lakers during Game 1 of the NBA Playoffs at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. The Lakers won 106-93. DIGITAL IMAGE. Mandatory Credit: Donald Miralle/Allsport.
22 Apr 2001: Rod Strickland #1 of the Portland Trail Blazers drives past Brian Shaw #20 of the Los ANgeles Lakers during Game 1 of the NBA Playoffs at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. The Lakers won 106-93. DIGITAL IMAGE. Mandatory Credit: Donald Miralle/Allsport. /

Rod Strickland was still a developing talent when he signed with the Portland Trail Blazers in July 1992.

Initially miscast as a shooting guard, Strickland moved back to his natural spot at the point and was fourth in the NBA in assists in 1994-95 and 1995-96.

Mitchell Butler
Mitchell Butler /

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But he returned to the Blazers in March 2001 as a free agent after being waived by the Wizards.

He left in October 2001 to sign with the Miami Heat.

In parts of five seasons in Portland, Strickland averaged 16.2 points, 8.2 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 1.6 steals in 33.7 minutes per game, shooting .472/.327/.714.

Strickland declared for the pros after his junior season at DePaul, where he averaged 20 points per game, and was the 19th overall pick out of DePaul by the New York Knicks in the 1988 NBA Draft.

He was named All-Rookie in 1988-89.

Strickland was traded to the San Antonio Spurs in February 1990.

With the Bullets (later the Wizards), Strickland was an All-NBA selection in 1997-98, when he led the NBA in assists, before being waived in March 2001.

In October 2002, Strickland signed with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

He signed with the Orlando Magic in November 2003 before being waived in March 2004 and signing three days later with the Toronto Raptors.

He signed with the Houston Rockets in January 2005, but retired after being waived the following month.

Strickland is 10th in NBA history with 7,987 assists, 29th with 1,616 steals and 23rd with an average of 7.3 assists per game.

Next: Excelled As Starter, Reserve For Turn Of Century Teams

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