Jerome Kersey

Trail Blazers forward, NBA champion, and Longwood legend.

Jerome Kersey (June 26, 1962 – February 18, 2015) was an American professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played for the Portland Trail Blazers (1984–1995), Golden State Warriors (1995–96), Los Angeles Lakers (1996–97), Seattle SuperSonics (1997–98), San Antonio Spurs (1998–2000), and Milwaukee Bucks (2000–01). The Trail Blazers selected Kersey in the second round of the 1984 NBA draft from Longwood University (then Longwood College) in Farmville, Virginia. He was a member of the Spurs during their 1999 NBA Finals victory over the New York Knicks. Following his playing career, Kersey worked with his former Portland teammate and then-head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks Terry Porter as an assistant in 2005. Kersey died from a pulmonary embolism caused by a blood clot at his home in Tualatin, Oregon, on February 18, 2015.

Quick Facts

Born: 26 June 1962
Birthplace: Clarksville, Virginia, U.S.
Died: 18 February 2015
Place of death: Tualatin, Oregon, U.S.
High school: Bluestone (Skipwith, Virginia)
College: Longwood (1980–1984)
Draft round: 2
Draft pick: 46

Lore & Background

Kersey attended Longwood College, at the time an NCAA Division II school, where he set school records for points, rebounds, steals and blocked shots while making 57% of his baskets. As a senior, his rebounding average of 14.2 led all Division II players. He graduated from Longwood in May 2006. Kersey was selected in the second round of the 1984 NBA draft with the 46th overall pick by the Portland Trail Blazers. He was a regular contributor from the bench, eventually becoming a starter. By his third year, he began to shine. The 1987–88 season was his best statistically, as he averaged 19.2 points and 8.3 rebounds in his first year as a starter. He joined a nucleus of a strong Portland team composed of Clyde Drexler, Terry Porter, Buck Williams, and Kevin Duckworth that made it to the NBA Finals two out of the next three years (in 1990 and 1992). In subsequent years the emergence of 6'10" Clifford Robinson at small forward found Kersey spending more time on the bench. By 1995, Portland had several talented forwards, and he was left unprotected in that year's 1995 NBA expansion draft. Taken by the Toronto Raptors, he was waived before the 1995–96 season began. He signed with the Golden State Warriors, where he started 58 games, and had an altercation with Latrell Sprewell, which resulted in the latter threatening to bring a gun to practice. For the 1996–97 season Kersey signed with the Los Angeles Lakers as a free agent. The 1997–98 season saw Kersey go to his fourth team in four years, but injuries kept him out of the Seattle SuperSonics' lineup for most of the season. For the lockout-shortened 1998–99 season, Kersey found himself on the San Antonio Spurs. The team won the 1999 NBA championship. Kersey provided frontcourt depth and experience off the bench in the team's title run, although his scoring, rebounding, and minutes played were all career lows. He stayed with the Spurs for another season. Kersey spent his final season in the NBA with the Milwaukee Bucks, who fell short in the Eastern Conference Finals. He retired at the conclusion of the 2000–01 season.

Reader's Guide

As a Portland Trail Blazer, Kersey was near the top in many of Portland's career categories at the time of his leaving, including games played (second), minutes played (third), scoring (third), rebounding (second), assists (sixth), steals (third), field goals made (fourth), and blocked shots (second). Following his retirement in 2001, Kersey served as a coach in various capacities for several teams. For a short time, Kersey worked for Wells Fargo home mortgages. During the 2003–04 NBA season, Kersey was hired by the Trail Blazers to serve as director of player programs. After a season in that capacity, Kersey was hired as an assistant coach by the Milwaukee Bucks, where he served under his former Portland teammate, head coach Terry Porter. He served with the Bucks for one year, but was let go (along with Mike Schuler, who coached both Kersey and Porter while in Portland) on May 6, 2005. Porter was subsequently fired as the Bucks' coach later that year. For a period of time following, Kersey joined the automotive industry as an auto wholesaler. In November 2005, Kersey was in Longwood's first Hall of Fame class. In 2008, Kersey was inducted into the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame and was selected to receive the 2015 recipient of the William Henry Ruffner Alumni Award, the highest award given to a Longwood alumni. The court at Willett Hall, Longwood's basketball facility, was posthumously named in his honor on December 3, 2016.