Clyde Drexler blames Blazers for decision to skip 1990s celebration: ‘They dropped the ball’

The Trail Blazers celebrated the 1990 and ’92 teams that made runs to the NBA Finals this past weekend, but legendary shooting guard Clyde Drexler was not in attendance.

The reasons were many and included the Blazers themselves, it seems. Drexler shared his thoughts with longtime Portland reporter and former beat writer Kerry Eggers.

But before we get to that, Eggers sets the scene.

“All of those who participated in the Trail Blazers’ celebration of their 1990 and ’92 teams this past weekend said they very much enjoyed the occasion,” Eggers wrote. “Regrettably, several members of those teams — Jerome Kersey, Kevin Duckworth, Cliff Robinson, Wayne Cooper, Drazen Petrovic and Walter Davis — have passed.

“Other players from that era missed the event. Danny Ainge is CEO of basketball for the Utah Jazz. Alaa Abdelnaby is TV analyst for the Philadelphia 76ers. Mark Bryant is an assistant coach for the New York Knicks. All were busy fulfilling their jobs and couldn’t be in Portland to take part in the festivities. Clyde Drexler wasn’t there, either. Drexler was at his home in Houston, where wife Tonya is recovering from breast cancer.”

Drexler told Eggers that his wife is now cancer-free and her recovery is going well. It doesn’t sound as if that was the primary reason he skipped the 1990s celebration.

“A Trail Blazer official told me that Drexler was extended an official invitation with a date well ahead of time, though when I asked, he wasn’t sure how the message was delivered –by postal mail, email, text or phone call,” Eggers wrote. “It does seem hard to believe the Blazers wouldn’t have made sure the poster guy from that era — arguably the greatest player in franchise history — was invited.”

Drexler blamed the organization.

“They dropped the ball,” he told Eggers, “but they have dropped many balls.”

The 1990 Blazers lost to the Isiah Thomas-led Bad Boys Pistons in five games in the 1990 Finals. It may have been the greatest five-game series in NBA history.

Two years later, the Blazers lost to the Michael Jordan-led Bulls in the Finals. The starting lineups from those Portland teams — Drexler, Kersey, Duckworth, Terry Porter, Buck Williams or Robinson — were among the most underrated starting units in league history. Those Blazers were coached by Rick Adelman.