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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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NEW YORK – CIRCA 1975: John Gianelli #40 of the New York Knicks battles for position with Bill Walton #32 of the Portland Trail Blazers during an NBA basketball game circa 1975 at Madison Square Garden in the Manhattan borough of New York City. Gianelli played for the Knicks from 1972-77. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
NEW YORK – CIRCA 1975: John Gianelli #40 of the New York Knicks battles for position with Bill Walton #32 of the Portland Trail Blazers during an NBA basketball game circa 1975 at Madison Square Garden in the Manhattan borough of New York City. Gianelli played for the Knicks from 1972-77. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) /

Bill Walton was a rarity, a three-time national player of the year who had averaged more than 19 points and almost 15 rebounds per game as a senior at UCLA and was thought to be the best big man prospect to come into the NBA since Lew Alcindor.

The Portland Trail Blazers selected the center with the first overall pick in the 1974 NBA Draft.

POR_02_WALTON
POR_02_WALTON /

But it just wasn’t to be. Walton battled foot, knee and ankle injuries throughout his stay with the Blazers, never playing in more than 65 games in a season.

He was still good enough to be named NBA MVP in 1977-78, was a two-time All-Star, the Finals MVP in 1977 and a two-time All-NBA and All-Defensive selection.

He led the NBA in rebounds and blocks in 1976-77 and was fourth in blocks in 1977-78.

Walton was second in the MVP voting in 1976-77, when he led Portland to its lone NBA title, averaging 18.5 points, 19.0 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 3.7 blocks and 1.0 steals in 37.7 minutes per game while shooting 54.5 percent from the floor and 15-for-19 at the line in a six-game win over the Philadelphia 76ers in the NBA Finals.

After holding out from the Blazers in 1978-79 in a dispute over medical treatment, Walton signed as a veteran free agent with the San Diego Clippers in May 1979, with the Blazers receiving Kermit Washington, Kevin Kunnert and a 1980 first-round pick as compensation.

In four seasons in Portland, Walton averaged 17.1 points, 13.5 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 2.6 blocks and a1.0 steals in 33.7 minutes per game, shooting 51 percent from the floor and 67.4 percent at the line.

Walton moved to Los Angeles with the Clippers in 1984 and in September 1985 was dealt to the Boston Celtics, where he was the Sixth Man of the Year in 1985-86 while helping Boston to an NBA title.

Injuries sidelined him again in 1986-87 and he missed two full seasons before finally abandoning his comeback bid and retiring in 1990.

Inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1993, Walton is 33rd in NBA history with an average of 10.5 rebounds per game and 16th with an average of 2.2 blocks per game.

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