Hoops Habit
Fansided

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 /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
9 of 26
Next
SAN DIEGO, CA - CIRCA 1981: Mychal Thompson #43 of the Portland Trail Blazers shoots against the San Diego Clippers during an NBA basketball game circa 1981 at the San Diego Sports Arena in San Diego, California. Thompson played for the Trail Blazers from 1978-86. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Mychal Thompson
SAN DIEGO, CA – CIRCA 1981: Mychal Thompson #43 of the Portland Trail Blazers shoots against the San Diego Clippers during an NBA basketball game circa 1981 at the San Diego Sports Arena in San Diego, California. Thompson played for the Trail Blazers from 1978-86. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Mychal Thompson /

Mychal Thompson closed his collegiate career on the upswing, earning All-America honors as both a junior and senior at Minnesota, averaging 22.0 points and 10.9 rebounds per game as a senior.

The Portland Trail Blazers, who had acquired the pick from the Indiana Pacers the day before, took Thompson with the No. 1 overall pick in the 1978 NBA Draft.

POR_18_THOMPSON
POR_18_THOMPSON /

Thompson’s career got off to a solid start, as he earned first team All-Rookie honors in 1978-79, but a broken ankle sustained in a pickup game in his native Bahamas over the summer sidelined him for the entire 1979-80 season.

He returned with a vengeance in 1980-81 and put together his best year in 1981-82, when he was third in the NBA in minutes per game and fourth in rebounding.

In June 1986, Thompson was traded with the rights to second-round pick Larry Krystkowiak to the San Antonio Spurs in exchange for Steve Johnson.

In seven seasons in Portland, Thompson averaged 16.7 points, 8.9 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.4 blocks in 34.3 minutes per game, shooting .505/0-for-4/.640.

His stay with the Spurs was brief; in February 1987, Thompson was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers, where he was part of championship teams in 1987 and 1988.

Waived by the Lakers in October 1991, Thompson played one season in Italy before retiring in 1992.

Next: Pit Bull A Grinder For Blazers

Home/Portland Trail Blazers