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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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Basketball: NBA Playoffs: Portland Trail Blazers Jerome Kersey (25) in action vs Utah Jazz at Delta Center. Game 3. Salt Lake City, UT 5/11/1991 CREDIT: John W. McDonough (Photo by John W. McDonough /Sports Illustrated/Getty Images) (Set Number: X41392 )
Basketball: NBA Playoffs: Portland Trail Blazers Jerome Kersey (25) in action vs Utah Jazz at Delta Center. Game 3. Salt Lake City, UT 5/11/1991 CREDIT: John W. McDonough (Photo by John W. McDonough /Sports Illustrated/Getty Images) (Set Number: X41392 ) /

As a senior at Longwood University, Jerome Kersey led Division II in rebounding, averaging 19.6 points and 14.2 rebounds per game, but was seen as a longshot at a pro prospect.

The Portland Trail Blazers took a shot on Kersey in the second round, 46th overall, in the 1984 NBA Draft and the player embarked on a steady climb from end of the rotation, to sixth man to starting small forward on an NBA Finals team.

POR_21_KERSEY
POR_21_KERSEY /

Kersey became a full-time starter in his fourth season, 1987-88, and two seasons later, Portland was in the NBA Finals against the defending champion

Detroit Pistons

.

He averaged 19.0 points and 7.0 rebounds in 41.2 minutes per game on .473/0-for-2/.781 shooting, but the Blazers fell to the Pistons in five games.

Portland was back in the Finals in 1992, taking on the defending champion Chicago Bulls, and Kersey put up 14.8 points, 8.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.8 steals in 38.0 minutes per game, shooting .481/0-for-1/.733 in a six-game loss.

He spent more than a decade in Portland, eventually returning to a reserve role, before he was left exposed and selected by the Toronto Raptors in the June 1995 expansion draft.

In 11 seasons in Portland, Kersey averaged 12.1 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.3 steals in 26.2 minutes per game while shooting .476/.198/.699.

Released by the Raptors in October 1995, Kersey was signed two weeks later by the Golden State Warriors, where he spent the 1995-96 season.

Golden State relinquished his rights in July 1996, making him a free agent, and he signed in August 1996 with the Los Angeles Lakers.

In September 1997, Kersey was on the move again, signing a deal with the Seattle SuperSonics.

After the lockout ended in January 1999, Kersey signed as a free agent with the San Antonio Spurs, capturing an NBA championship ring as a reserve.

Unsigned as a free agent in the summer of 2000, Kersey eventually landed a deal with the Milwaukee Bucks in November 2000, retiring after the 2000-01 season.

He spent some time with the Blazers as their director of player programs and also spent one season working for former teammate Terry Porter as an assistant coach for the Bucks.

Kersey is 48th in NBA history with 1,153 games and 1,439 steals.

He died Feb. 18, 2015, from a blood clot that traveled to his lungs and caused a pulmonary embolism. He was 52 years old.

Next: Special K An All-Star Compensation Prize

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