Coming off their first season, the Portland Trail Blazers needed talent just about everywhere.
Selecting second overall in the 1971 NBA Draft, they opted for two-time All-American Sidney Wicks of UCLA, who had averaged more than 21 points and nearly 13 rebounds per game as a senior and was the Final Four Most Outstanding Player as a junior.
Wicks was the NBA Rookie of the Year in 1971-72 and was a four-time All-Star for the Blazers, but his scoring average declined each season–a trend that continued even after he left the club.
His exit from Portland was messy.
In September 1976, the Blazers sold Wicks’ contract to the New Orleans Jazz.
A month later, he was sent back to Portland after demanding a new contract.
Seven days later, his contract was sold again, this time to the Boston Celtics.
In five seasons in Portland, Wicks averaged 22.3 points, 10.3 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.2 steals in 38.8 minutes per game, shooting 46 percent from the floor and 71.3 percent at the line.
He was traded to the San Diego Clippers in August 1978 and after being waived in January 1981, Wicks played a season in Italy before retiring in 1982.
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