Why didn’t Clyde Drexler attend celebration? He had his reasons

Drexler, during an autograph-signing event at Dick’s Sporting Goods/Jantzen Beach last August

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.

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.

“Amazingly, she is cancer-free,” Clyde told me last week. “Her recovery is going well.”

Tonya’s health played a part in Drexler staying home. Another part is that Clyde claims he was never notified of an official date.

“Terry (Porter) called me a couple of months ago and told me they were thinking about doing (the reunion event),” Drexler said. “I told him about Tonya’s situation, but said as it gets closer, let me know.”

Clyde told me he didn’t know the date until I called him on Tuesday.

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. 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. Still, that is what Clyde told me.

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

Drexler has antipathy for at least a couple of aspects of the Blazer organization. For one, he believes executives have paid little attention to the franchise’s former players over the years. He is not the only former Blazer to feel that way.

“They don’t foster any kind of relationship with ex-players,” Drexler said. “They get an ‘F’ in that department.”

Clyde believes that former teammates Jerome Kersey, Buck Williams and Kevin Duckworth should have their numbers retired and hanging in the rafters at Moda Center. With Kersey and Williams, at least, he has a valid point, one that I have made several times in recent years.

(Williams, by the way, told me he believes a statue of Clyde should be erected outside Moda Center. But I digress.)

Drexler also contends that Bert Kolde casts a pall over the organization. Kolde, the college roommate of the late Blazer owner Paul Allen at Washington State, has been involved in major decisions for the franchise since Allen purchased the club in 1988. Kolde was part of the decision to fire Drexler’s coach, Rick Adelman, in 1994, a decision that led to Drexler asking for a trade before the following season. Kolde was not a popular figure among Blazer coaches and executives during that time.

“Whatever Bert said, Paul listened to,” one former Blazer executive said. “And Bert was in over his head.”

Even after Allen’s death in 2018, Kolde has occupied a position of prominence alongside Jody Allen in the Blazer organization. His current position is called “vice chair.” If he is not making major decisions in terms of personnel with the Blazers, he at least has the ear of general manager Joe Cronin. There are those who believe Cronin takes his marching orders from Kolde.

“As I understand, Bert has had carte blanche to run the franchise from behind the scenes,” Drexler said. “Look at what he has accomplished — very little. They have not been good at putting together a competitive team year after year. I look forward to the day when we get some new management and get Bert Kolde out of there so they can bring some of the past and merge that with the present. That is what franchises should be about.”

That’s right — Drexler referred to the Blazers as “we.” Despite the tone of his words, he still considers the Blazers — for whom he played for 11 1/2 seasons, earning All-Star recognition eight times — as his team.

He has no bone to pick with Cronin, who has been the Blazers’ GM for 3 1/2 years.

“I have had conversations with Joe and he seems to be a nice guy, but he can only do so much,” Drexler said. “Until the franchise is sold and they get rid of Bert Kolde, they will struggle.”

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Clyde’s only regret is missing a chance to connect with the Blazer faithful who worshipped him during his playing days in Portland.

“I am sorry I won’t be able to be there to show my appreciation for Blazer fans,” he told me last week. “In my mind, they were — and still are — the best fans in the league. They have always shown me love and respect. They supported our team through thick and thin. They showed up every game, and we didn’t want to disappoint them. They were phenomenal.”

Drexler’s feelings about the organization have put Porter — a two-time All-Star during his playing days with Portland — in an awkward position. They were partners in the Trail Blazers’ backcourt for a decade, leading the Blazers to the NBA Finals in 1990 and ’92. They remain close friends. “I love Clyde like a brother,” Terry told me.

Porter works as ambassador for the Blazers. He has gently tried to get Drexler to return for events in recent years, to no avail.

“Clyde hasn’t been back here for a long time,” Porter said. “Everybody has tried to get him to come, but he has some feelings about people in the organization.”

Porter agrees with Drexler that the Blazers have not made the necessary effort to connect with former players in past years.

“It happened,” Porter said. “They allowed it to happen. It hurt the relationships (with former players). Guys didn’t feel like they were valued for what they did for the organization. I am sure every organization has its pitfalls, but we did have them.”

But Porter contends that the Blazers have addressed those deficiencies and begun to make changes. Porter chairs an alumni committee that has recently held occasional events in the city.

“Last year, we had a ‘Rick Adelman night,’ which Rick attended,” Porter said. “Slowly, we are starting to bring alumni back and building those relationships.”

Porter credits Cronin, coach Chauncey Billups and Dewayne Hankins, the Blazers’ president/business operations, with supporting the changes.

“Joe, Chauncey and Dewayne have taken the initiative to do that,” Porter said. “They have been receptive and understand the importance in Portland in regard to how those teams impacted the city, the community and the organization. They know how much the fan base embraced those eras of Blazer basketball and what those teams meant to the city.”

I think the relationship between Drexler, 63, and the Blazers will eventually be repaired. It might have to come after Jody Allen sells the club and Kolde is no longer involved, whenever that may be.

This year, the organization has done a nice job recognizing the 1977 championship team and the ’90 and ’92 NBA Finals squads. I know Clyde has a warm spot in his heart for the franchise and the city. If he becomes convinced that the commitment to paying due respect to the past is sincere, there is no reason for him not to come around. He would be welcomed with open arms by all concerned.

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