Update: Jerome Kersey died from a blood clot that traveled from his left calf to a lung.

Jerome Kersey, who played 11 seasons with the Trail Blazers and started on some of the best teams in franchise history, died Wednesday, the team confirmed. He was 52.

The cause of death was not immediately known, but his passing was unexpected, if not shocking. Kersey, who has remained a fabric of the Blazers franchise for years, made an appearance on behalf of the team Tuesday night at Madison High School, where he spoke with fellow former Blazers Terry Porter and Brian Grant about Black History Month.

But one day later, around 5 p.m. Wednesday, the Lake Oswego Fire Department was called to Kersey's home and he was taken to Legacy Meridian Medical Center in Tualatin. He was admitted and later died, a hospital spokesperson confirmed.

"Today we lost an incredible person and one of the most beloved players to ever wear a Trail Blazers uniform," Blazers Owner Paul Allen said in a release. "My thoughts and condolences are with the Kersey family. He will be missed by all of us. It's a terrible loss."

Kersey was an integral part of some of the best teams in Blazers history, starting at small forward on the 1990 and 1992 NBA Finals teams. While legendary former Blazers players Clyde Drexler and Porter were the stars of those dynamic teams, it was Kersey who balanced out the Blazers' starting lineup.

A rough and rugged player, Kersey was asked to do the dirty work for the Blazers and he relished it, which was fitting considering his basketball background. Kersey, 6-foot-7 and 215 pounds, played at tiny Longwood College in Virginia, in the shadow of powerhouse college programs. But with superb athleticism and through sheer hard work, he made himself into an NBA player.

The Blazers drafted him in the second round of the 1984 NBA Draft with the No. 46 overall selection, and he beat long-shot odds to make the team.

Kersey went on to play 11 seasons with the Blazers -- and 17 seasons in the NBA -- and is littered all over the franchise's record books, ranking fifth all-time in scoring, third in rebounding, third in steals, sixth in blocks and eighth in assists. Only Drexler (867) has played more games in a Blazers uniform than Kersey (831), who went on to win an NBA Championship with the San Antonio Spurs in 1999.

"It's very unfortunate, very sad -- he's way too young," Drexler told The Oregonian/OregonLive Wednesday night. "He was a great guy, a great friend, an incredible teammate and just a real pillar of the community.

"It's a tremendous loss for the Blazers family and the city of Portland because everybody loved him."

Kersey is survived by his wife, Teri, and four daughters.

Information about a celebration of life and other arrangements is still forthcoming from the Kersey family and the Trail Blazers, the team said in a statement late Wednesday.

--Joe Freeman | jfreeman@oregonian.com | 503-294-5183 | @BlazerFreeman

--Kasia Hall and Sean Meagher contributed.