Portland Trail Blazers: Top 10 NBA Draft picks in franchise history
8. Mychal Thompson (PF/C) – No. 1 pick in 1978 NBA Draft
Career stats (with the Blazers, 1978-86): 551 GP, 16.7 PPG, 8.9 RPG, 3.4 APG, 0.9 SPG, 1.4 BPG, 50.5 FG% 64.0 FT%
Mychal Thompson is most likely known to some a member of the “showtime” Lakers in the late 80’s, or as the father of current All-Star Klay Thompson. However, Mychal Thompson started his career and played most of his seasons in the Rose City.
In order to select Thompson, the Blazers traded their own first round pick in the 1978 NBA Draft along with Johnny Davis to the Indiana Pacers for their pick.
Thompson had a good rookie year, averaging 14.7 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game in 1978-79. Those numbers were good enough to earn him All-Rookie Team honors.
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Thompson bounced back from missing the entire 1979-80 season with a leg injury by putting up monster numbers during the early 80’s. His best year was 1981-82, in which he averaged 20.8 points and 11.7 rebounds per game. Despite the output, the Blazers missed the playoffs that year.
While he never reached that peak again, Thompson continued to put up respectable numbers as Portland’s man in the middle.
However, the Blazers traded Thompson away in June 1986. The team sent him and Larry Krystkowiak to the San Antonio Spurs for Steve Johnson.
Thompson would only spend a half-season in San Antonio before being shipped to the Lakers in February 1987.
When people think of Mychal Thompson, they will likely think of him as a former Laker. However, Portland was his first NBA home, and the place where he showed how fierce of an inside presence he could be.