G- Terry Porter: 1985–1995

Terry Porter wasn’t the flashiest player nor was he the most dominant player, but what he was, was enough for those great Trail Blazers’ teams of the late 80s and early 90s. He wasn’t asked to be the leading scorer, but rather a distributor. His job was to get the ball to his playmaking teammate Clyde Drexler, and he did just that. On top of his prolific passing ability, Porter was also a capable defender. Him and Drexler proved to be among the best defensive backcourt in the NBA, both averaging over 1.5 steals per game during their time together.

Porter’s two All-Star appearances came as a member of the Trail Blazers. Porter is the team’s All-Time leader in assists and his 10.1 assists per game during the 1987–1988 season is the highest single season average in franchise history.

G- Clyde Drexler: 1983–1995

Terry Porter’s running mate, Clyde “The Glide” Drexler is the definitive best player in franchise history. Not only did he produce individual success as a player, but that success also translated into team success in the form of victories on the court. The team appeared in the playoffs in all eleven of Drexler’s full seasons with the team. He led the team to the NBA finals twice, losing both times.

Drexler’s 27.2 points per game during the 1988–1989 NBA season is the highest single-season scoring average for a Trail Blazers’ player. Drexler is the team’s career leader in games played, minutes played, points scored, field goals made, steals, and win shares.

Drexler was not only the team’s best offensive player, but he was also the team’s best defensive player. He averaged 2.1 steals per game, the highest average per game in franchise history. In five of his eleven seasons, Drexler finished in the top ten in total steals. His tenacious defense was the catalyst for the Trail Blazers’ persistent team defense during the late 80s and early 90s.

His eight All-Star appearances are the most of any player in team history. He appeared on four All-NBA Teams (1x First Team, 2x Second Team, 1x Third Team). His best season came during the 1991–1992 NBA season, in which he finished second in the MVP voting.

F- LaMarcus Aldridge: 2006–2015

During his time in Portland, LaMarcus Aldridge was among the more underrated superstars in the NBA. In his nine seasons in Portland, Aldridge established himself as a prolific offensive player. Being both a terrific mid-range shooter and finisher in the post, Aldridge proved deserving of his four All-Star and three All-NBA Team (1x Second Team, 2x Third Team) appearances.

The Trail Blazers made the playoffs in five of Aldridge’s nine seasons, which is remarkable given the turmoil the franchise was in prior to drafting Aldridge and after drafting him (injuries to Brandon Roy and Greg Oden).

He was immediately asked to be the face of the franchise and he delivered beyond expectations, becoming not only the best player on the Trail Blazers, but also one of the best players in the entire NBA.

Only Clyde Drexler has scored more points, made more field goals, and played in more games than Aldridge has for the Trail Blazers.

F- Rasheed Wallace: 1996–2004

Following the departure of Clyde Drexler, the Trail Blazers were in need of a new face, and Rasheed Wallace filled that void (much to the dismay of Commissioner Stern) (See Jailblazers on Wikipedia). Wallace was the best player on the Blazers for his entire tenure as a member of the team. During his seven full years in Portland, Wallace led the Trailblazers in points scored, rebounds, blocks, and field goal percentage. He made the Western Conference All-Star team twice.

Wallace led the Trail Blazers to the playoffs in all but oneof his full seasons with the team.

C- Bill Walton: 1974–1978

Arguably the biggest ‘What-If” in NBA history is Bill Walton. After a sensational college career, Walton immediately came into the NBA and established himself as one of the best players in the league. Before suffering a devastating foot injury, Walton was dominant, winning the league MVP award following the 1977–1978 season, making two All-Star games, appearing on two All-NBA Teams (1x First Team, 1x Second Team), and leading the Trail Blazers to their only NBA championship in 1977. In the 1977 finals, Walton took home the finals’ MVP award, averaging 18.5 points, 19 rebounds, 5.2 assists, and 3.7 blocks. He was the best player on the court in all six of the games.

It’s a shame that Walton’s career as a dominant player was cut short because of his foot injury, but even so, what he did in his four seasons in Portland cannot be overlooked. They were among the most dominant in the history of the NBA.