Clyde Drexler
One of the game's all-time great guards, Clyde "The Glide" Drexler was known for his high-flying yet seemingly effortless swoops to the basket.
After almost a dozen seasons with the Portland Trail Blazers, Drexler left Portland with his name all over the franchise's record books. A perennial All-Star and a member of the 1992 U.S. Olympic Dream Team, Drexler twice led the Blazers to the NBA Finals. It wasn't until he joined the Houston Rockets midway through his 12th campaign, however, that he finally earned a championship ring.
It was fitting that Drexler achieved the ultimate NBA success while in Houston. A native of the city, he attended the University of Houston and starred on the "Phi Slamma Jamma" teams of the early 1980s.
A forward in college, Drexler teamed with Hakeem Olajuwon and Larry Micheaux to form a front line that took the team on two straight trips to the NCAA Final Four. In his junior season Drexler averaged 15.9 points, 8.8 rebounds and 3.8 assists while shooting .536 from the floor.
Hampered by injuries, Drexler's production fell in the next two seasons (to 19.9 and 19.2 points per game, respectively) and by 1994-95 he was indicating that he was ready to leave Portland. At midseason, the Blazers obliged by trading him to the Houston Rockets for Otis Thorpe. Drexler left Portland as the team's all-time leader in scoring, games, minutes, field goals, free throws, rebounds and steals.
He ended his illustrious NBA career joining Oscar Robertson and John Havlicek as the only players in NBA history to top 20,000 points, 6,000 rebounds and 3,000 assists.