Clyde Drexler

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Drexler was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, and lived in the South Park area in Houston, Texas. He attended Ross Sterling High School in Houston, where he was a classmate of tennis player Zina Garrison. As a sophomore, he made the varsity baseball team, and tried out for the basketball team but failed to make the cut. Drexler played as a center as a senior. He began receiving attention from college coaches following a 34-point, 27-rebound performance against Sharpstown High School during a 1979 Christmas tournament. After graduating in 1980, he was recruited by New Mexico State University, Texas Tech University, and the University of Houston, the latter after childhood friend Michael Young told an assistant to head coach Guy Lewis that Drexler was the best player he had faced in high school. Houston was able to recruit them both due to Drexler's friendship with Young and his desire to stay home. Drexler majored in finance and worked at a bank during the summer. Lewis recalled in 2003 that he initially received hate mail from Houston supporters and alumni for recruiting Drexler, as they felt that he was not good enough to play for the school.

In Their Own Story

The 1992 NBA Finals against the Chicago Bulls showcased Drexler's resilience and scoring ability on the biggest stage. Leading or tying for the team lead in scoring across all six games, he erupted for 32 points in Game 3, though Portland lost 94–84. Despite forcing the series to a tie twice, the Bulls staged fourth-quarter comebacks to win the championship. In that pivotal six-game series, Drexler averaged 24.8 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game. Teammate Terry Porter later noted decades after the fact that when it came down to late-game execution, he looked for Drexler as the key guy to make plays. This period cemented Drexler's reputation as a clutch performer who could elevate his team in the postseason, even if the ultimate prize remained elusive during his Portland years.

Reader's Guide

In the 1983 NBA draft, Drexler was selected by the Portland Trail Blazers with the 14th overall pick. He averaged 7.7 points in 17.2 minutes per game in his rookie season. In the 1989–1990 season, Drexler led the Portland Trail Blazers to the 1990 NBA Finals, averaging 23.3 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.9 assists during the season. The Blazers (ranked 3rd in the Western Conference) made it to the Conference Finals against the Phoenix Suns. While Drexler only led in scoring in the final two games, the Blazers were bolstered by players such as Terry Porter and Jerome Kersey to a six-game series victory, with Drexler and Porter each scoring 23 in the 112–109 victory that gave Portland its first conference championship since 1977. In the Finals, they played the Detroit Pistons. Drexler led the Blazers with 21 points in Game 1, but they lost 105–99. In Game 2, Drexler scored 33 points and contributed the go-ahead points in overtime by hitting two free throws with 2.1 seconds to beat Detroit 106–105. It was the only win in the series for the Blazers, who lost narrowly in Game 4 by three and lost the final game after Detroit went on a 9–0 run. Drexler left as the all-time scoring leader for the Blazers with 18,040 points, which stood as a franchise record until Damian Lillard passed him in 2022.

Did You Know?

• Drexler was selected 14th overall in the 1983 NBA draft, not second overall.
• He averaged only 7.7 points per game in his rookie season and was not immediately the focal point of the offense.
• The Blazers defeated the Phoenix Suns in the 1990 Western Conference Finals, not lost them.
• Drexler scored a career-high 50 points on January 6, 1989, during a double-overtime win over the Sacramento Kings.

The Glide's College Dominance

Before his NBA career, Drexler attended the University of Houston, recruited after childhood friend Michael Young told assistant coach Guy Lewis that Drexler was the best player he had faced in high school. He became a cornerstone of 'Phi Slama Jama,' a basketball fraternity known for acrobatic, above-the-rim play alongside Hakeem Olajuwon and Larry Micheaux. New recruits were initiated by standing under the basket while Drexler drove from half-court to deliver a tomahawk slam over them. Houston reached the Final Four in 1982 and 1983. In the 1983 semifinals against Louisville, Drexler delivered a double-pump dunk that Sports Illustrated writer Curry Kirkpatrick called 'your basic play of the century.' He finished his junior career as Houston's all-time steals leader with 268 and remains the only player in school history with at least 1,000 points, 900 rebounds, and 300 assists.

Portland Trail Blazers Era

Drexler was selected by Portland with the 14th overall pick in the 1983 draft. After a rookie season averaging 7.7 points, he improved to 17.2 points, 6 rebounds, and 5.5 assists in his second year. By his third season, he was an All-Star. On January 6, 1989, he scored a career-high 50 points against the Sacramento Kings. In the 1989–1990 season, he averaged 23.3 points and led Portland to the NBA Finals, where they lost to the Detroit Pistons in six games; Drexler hit two free throws with 2.1 seconds left in Game 2 to secure a victory. The following year, he led the team to a franchise-best 63–19 record but fell short in the Western Conference Finals against the Lakers. In 1991–92, he finished second in MVP voting and led Portland back to the Finals against Chicago, averaging 24.8 points in the series before falling in six games.

Championship Glory and Olympic Gold

While his time with Portland ended without a title, Drexler achieved ultimate success shortly after leaving. In 1992, he was selected for the United States Olympic team known as 'The Dream Team,' winning a gold medal in Barcelona. Later that year, on February 4, 1995, he was traded to the Houston Rockets. Teaming up with his former college teammate Hakeem Olajuwon, Drexler helped propel the Rockets to an improbable second consecutive NBA championship in 1995. In the first round against the Utah Jazz, he scored 41 points while Olajuwon added 40 in a crucial Game 5 victory. He averaged 21.5 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 6.8 assists during his third NBA Finals run, where Houston swept the Orlando Magic. His individual career earned him induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2004.

Legacy and Post-Playing Career

Drexler is considered among the top shooting guards of all time, with a career spanning 15 NBA seasons. He was named to the NBA's 50th and 75th anniversary teams and earned ten All-Star selections and five All-NBA selections. His legacy includes being inducted into the Hall of Fame twice: first for his individual career in 2004, and again in 2010 as a member of 'The Dream Team.' After retiring from playing, he remained active in basketball administration, currently serving as the second commissioner of the Big3, a professional 3-on-3 league. His journey began humbly; as a sophomore in high school, he tried out for the varsity basketball team and failed to make the cut, only to become one of the game's greatest players after dominating as a senior center with 34 points and 27 rebounds in a single tournament performance.