Best Second Round Draft Picks in Blazers History

For over 50 years, the Portland Trail Blazers have built a legacy in the NBA that features hundreds of players that have helped shape basketball culture in the Pacific Northwest.

While players like Clyde Drexler and Damian Lillard are the stars, others have put their stamp on Portland basketball by coming in as second-round picks, earning their way towards playing time through hard work and tenacity. Here's a look at the two best second-round picks in Blazers franchise history.

Jerome Kersey (1984)

Pistons' players on the court with Trail Blazers' Jerome Kersey in the third game of the NBA Finals. | USA TODAY Sports

Kersey was selected by the Blazers with the number 46 overall pick in the 1984 NBA Draft. It took him a little bit to get his feet wet in Portland, but he was able to play 11 years for the Blazers, playing more games in NBA history than all but two players in franchise history.

Kersey was a big part of the Blazers as they emerged as a title contender throughout the 1980s. By 1990, the Blazers had matured into a title contender, and Kersey was part of the starting lineup that made it all the way to the 1990 and 1992 Finals.

Without Kersey's contributions, the Blazers would not have gone as far as they did in those playoff rounds. He may not have been the star player, but his ability to play off of Drexler and Terry Porter was crucial to Portland's success.

Kersey played with Portland until 1995, but he was left unprotected in the league's expansion draft. He was selected by the Toronto Raptors, who waived him before the season began.

Kersey then became a journeyman in the league, playing for the Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers, Seattle SuperSonics, San Antonio Spurs, and Milwaukee Bucks before retiring in 2009. Kersey was part of the Spurs' championship team in 1999, which gave Portland fans a reason to celebrate their win.

Kersey died in 2015 at the age of 52 after suffering a pulmonary embolism.

Cliff Robinson (1989)

Clifford Robinson played with the Portland Trail Blazers from 1989-97. | USA TODAY Sports

Robinson was the 36th overall pick by the Blazers back in 1989, and he found an opportunity to step into the team's rotation right away. Alongside Kersey, Robinson was part of Portland's team that made it to the NBA Finals in 1990 and 1992.

In 1993, Robinson became the Sixth Man of the Year after averaging 19.1 points and 6.6 rebounds per game. The following season, Robinson joined the starting lineup and became an All-Star for the first and only time in his career.

Robinson played in every game for the Blazers from 1989 to 1995, which marked 461 consecutive games played. It remains the franchise record for the Blazers, and it doesn't appear that record will be broken anytime soon.

He stayed with the team until 1997, when he signed with the Phoenix Suns in free agency. Robinson spent four years with the Suns before being traded to the Detroit Pistons in 2001. Two years later, he was dealt once again to the Warriors, and then to the New Jersey Nets in 2005. Robinson retired in 2007, having played 1,380 games, which is the seventh-most in NBA history.

Robinson died of lymphoma in 2020 at the age of 53.

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