Today, the basketball community mourns the loss of a true legend, Bill Walton. 

Bill Walton passed away at the age of 71 after a bout with cancer.

Walton was one of the greatest players in UCLA history, winning three consecutive National College Player of the Year Awards.  He also led the Bruins to two National Championships, where he was the Final Four Most Outstanding Player in both.  Naturally, the Center was drafted first overall by the Portland Trail Blazers in 1974, but his pro career was beset by constant injuries, though the runs of greatness were certainly there.

Overcoming ankle and foot issues in his first two seasons, Walton's leadership shone through.  He was an All-Star in both years, but his contributions extended far beyond individual accolades.  Walton won the Rebounds (14.4) and Blocks Title (3.2) and was a Second Team All-NBA and First Team All-Defensive Selection. Most notably, he transformed the Trail Blazers into contenders, leading them to their first and only NBA Championship. 

Walton propelled Portland to 50 of 60 wins to start the 1977-78 but suffered a broken foot late in the year, ending the regular season, but he was rewarded with the MVP when he had a career-high 18.9 Points per Game, with an impressive 13.2 Rebounds and 2.5 Blocks per Game. Walton’s 24.8 PER was also a personal best.  He returned for the playoffs but would return on painkillers for the playoffs, but did so on a broken ankle, which he was unaware of.  The highly-principled Walton refused to play for the Trail Blazers again, and he sat out (though was also injured) the following year while demanding a trade.  He never got that deal but was a free agent in 1979 and signed with the San Diego Clippers.

San Diego showed that he was no longer an elite player but an injury-prone star who could provide when healthy. This was not often for the Clippers, as he only played 14 Games in 1979-80.  With a refractured foot and other related ailments, he missed 1980-81 and 1981-82 entirely. He returned in 1982, playing three seasons, albeit infrequently, and was part of the team’s relocation to Los Angeles, which hurt Walton deeply, as he was a San Diego native.

Walton signed with the powerful Boston Celtics in 1985, accepting a reserve role.  For the first time in his career, Walton played 80 Games and would win the Sixth Man of the Year, aiding Boston in winning the 1986 NBA Championship.  He only played ten more games afterward, again dealing with issues with his feet and would retire officially in 1988.

Walton would later have a successful career as a color commentator and was known for his love of the Grateful Dead. 

We here at Notinhalloffame offer our condolences to the fans, friends and family of Bill Walton.

The Portland Trail Blazers have had some bad luck in previous NBA drafts, but they have had success with draft day trades. One such trade brought them LaMarcus Aldridge, the second overall pick from the Bulls, and it turned out to be a great move for them.

Aldridge quickly established himself as a star player in Portland, earning All-Rookie honors and becoming a starter in his second year. He was also a top contender for the Most Improved Player of the Year award. Aldridge's numbers continued to improve as he dominated in the paint, and by the 2010-11 season, he was one of the most well-rounded players in the league. He excelled at rebounding on both ends of the court, and his fadeaway jumper was a thing of beauty.

Although Aldridge did not make the All-Star Team in 2011, he did earn a spot on the All-NBA Third Team. He continued to put up similar numbers over the next few years and earned All-Star honors in each of those seasons. He was also named to the Third Team All-NBA in 2014 and the Second Team All-NBA in 2015, with MVP finishes of tenth and seventh, respectively. Despite his impressive achievements, Portland was not a championship contender, and Aldridge wanted more national recognition.

Aldridge eventually signed with the San Antonio Spurs and continued to be a top player. He earned All-Star honors three times and added more All-NBA accolades to his collection. He also finished in the top ten for MVP voting in 2017-18. However, Aldridge still wanted a title.

In the 2020-21 season, Aldridge was traded to the Brooklyn Nets, but his time with the team was short-lived due to an irregular heartbeat. Although he was eventually medically cleared to return, he played in only 21 more games before announcing his retirement. He was not the same player he had once been, and the Nets did not live up to the hype that came with their star-studded lineup of Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden.

Despite having Hall of Fame-worthy stats, Aldridge's name recognition never quite matched his talent.

While Rasheed Wallace was known mostly for getting technical fouls, he was so much more than just that. Rasheed cut his teeth with the North Carolina Tar Heels and the former first rounder would make waves with the Portland Trail Blazers, emerging as the team’s leader and whether you liked him or hated him, his passion for the sport of basketball was undeniable. The four-time All-Star may not have been considered the best at his position at any point of his career but he was a vital member of the shocking Detroit Pistons team that won the title in 2004. That is something that men with better regular seasons cannot boast.

Sidney Wicks was the UCLA big man who led the Bruins to numerous NCAA titles and was selected College Player of the Year.  He would be drafted by the Blazers and would become the centerpiece of the franchise.  Later went to Boston where he was a solid contributor.  No it’s not Bill Walton; it’s the forgotten star of the UCLA dynasty, Sidney Wicks.  Wicks is one of those great 70s players that time has seemingly forgot.  A four time All-Star and consistent 20/10 guy for the Blazers, Wicks was a dominant big man.  A three time champion at UCLA who was the star of the teams in between Alcindor and Walton, Wicks never got their publicity.  The obstacles holding him back from the Hall is a shortened career and playing for bad teams that happened to get a lot better right after he left.

Terry Porter is one of the best NBA players ever to come from a Division II school.  He was so highly regarded form tiny Wisconsin-Stevens Point that he was invited to the 1984 Olympic trials where he almost made the team; but was in the final cut with Charles Barkley and John Stockton.  A solid career followed for Porter in the NBA primarily with the Portland Trail Blazers where he teamed with Clyde Drexler to form one of the best backcourts in the league for almost a decade.  He would make two Finals appearances but failed to earn a ring despite being one of the best shooting point guards ever.  Porter will be remembered for those great appearances in the Finals and a long career but is a long shot to get in.  Of course he was a long shot to even make the league too.

Simply put how in the heck did Rod Strickland never make an All-Star Game?  He is easily one of the best ten point guards in league history. Strickland is in the top ten for all time assists and 54th all time in games played.  14,000 points and almost 8,000 assists are pretty good career numbers.  Sure he bounced around a lot playing with a total of ten teams in his career but that just shows how malleable he was.  Strickland was a very good player who knew how to run a team and really knew how to get the ball to his teammates but never really learned how to get along that well with others and never was on a consistent winner; but he should have made at least one All-Star Game.

Buck Williams is considered one of the best power forwards of all time. He was a hardworking player who excelled in rebounding and defense, and was also a solid low post scorer. Although he was not as flashy as some of his contemporaries, Williams had a long and successful career, playing in the tenth most games of all time and being one of only seven players to have scored over 16,000 points and grabbed over 13,000 rebounds. Despite never playing on a championship team, Williams was a vital part of some very successful teams and always played the game with the right attitude. 

Williams has yet to be inducted, but he feels due.

Maurice Lucas played college basketball for Al McGuire at the University of Marquette leading the team to the finals of the 1974 NCAA tournament.  Lucas led the Warriors with 21 points and 13 boards in a loss to North Carolina State and future ABA-NBA superstar David Thompson.  Chosen high by both the NBA and ABA in their drafts, Lucas decided to go play in the newer ABA.  He had two solid years in the ABA and when the league merged with the NBA he was selected number two in the dispersal draft of players by the Portland Trail Blazers.  Portland had traded two solid veterans for a chance to get Lucas and Coach Jack Ramsey quickly made him their power forward playing next to their franchise player Bill Walton.  The Blazers gelled quickly and made an improbable run through the playoffs in their first season after the merger. 

A Power Forward/Center with excellent defensive prowess, Clifford Robinson played in what seemed like a ton of games in the National Basketball Association. Robinson was never a player who was ever considered the best on any of his teams, but was a baller who instantly made a team better on both ends of the court. He had his best years in Portland and was rewarded with the Sixth Man of the Year Award. He did accumulate a lot of solid statistics, but is not likely to enter the Hall anytime soon.