Blazers Notebook: Team to retire No. 30
Friday, November 14, 2008 2:09 PM PST
By Anne M. Peterson
The Associated Press
Printable version
E-mail this articlePORTLAND — The Portland Trail Blazers will retire the No. 30 jersey twice next month, honoring both Terry Porter and Bobby Gross.
According to the Blazers, only two other NBA jerseys have been retired on behalf of two players. New York retired No. 15 in honor of both Dick McGuire and Earl Monroe, while Boston retired No. 18, worn by Dave Cowens and Jim Loscutoff.
“We are proud to honor our rich tradition by celebrating two men who put #30 front and center for many of this franchise’s finest moments,” Trail Blazers President Larry Miller said in a statement. “Terry and Bobby embodied what it means to be a Trail Blazer, on and off the court. We are thrilled to celebrate their contributions to the franchise.”
Porter’s jersey will be lofted to the rafters on Dec. 16 when the Blazers host the Sacramento Kings. Gross will be honored on Dec. 18 during Portland’s game against the Phoenix Suns.
Porter, a two-time All-Star, played for Portland from 1985-95, averaging 14.9 points and seven assists. He is the franchise’s career assist leader with 5,319 and second-leading scorer with 11,330 points during his time with the team.
He is currently head coach of the Suns.
“My whole basketball career has been about working hard every day and giving myself the opportunity to be the best player I could be,” he said. “I would hope that Blazers fans would remember me as a player who gave everything he had when he stepped on the floor, competed, and represented the city and state to the best of my ability.”
Gross was a starter on Portland’s 1976-77 NBA Championship team. He played seven seasons with the Blazers (1975-82), averaging 9.2 points, 4.5 rebounds and three assists.
During the 1977 NBA Finals against Philadelphia, Gross averaged 17.3 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.5 assists over the six-game series. He had 24 points and eight rebounds in the deciding 109-107 victory.
“I’m very honored, and I’ll be in good company with Terry. I didn’t expect this ever to happen. I was somebody who deferred a lot, and just tried to fit in. Making sure everything ran smoothly was what was important to me,” Gross said.
Rudy's on a roll
Greg Oden isn’t the only Trail Blazers’ rookie getting attention.
Rudy Fernandez, who joined the NBA this season after playing professionally in Spain for several years, has made a major impact off the bench for Portland.
Fernandez is everywhere, draining 3-pointers, slamming dunks, spinning through defenders and generally annoying the opposition.
On Thursday night, he had team-high 25 points in Portland’s 104-96 victory over the Miami Heat. Fourteen of his points came in the fourth quarter.
It was the Blazers’ fourth straight victory. Afterward, Fernandez passed the credit around to teammates Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge and countryman Sergio Rodriguez.
“I think everybody is important. Today me, last day last game Brandon, last game LA. Sergio played great today. You know, it’s everybody,” he told reporters.
Rudy stole the show when all eyes were on Oden, who returned after spraining his ankle early in the season opener against the Lakers.
The 7-foot center, playing his rookie season after sitting out last year because of microfracture surgery on his knee, scored three points and grabbed two rebounds in 16 minutes off the bench .
Fernandez has scored in double figures in seven of his first eight NBA games. He is averaging 15.4 points, 2.9 rebounds and two assists, and ranks third on the team in scoring behind starters Brandon Roy (21) and LaMarcus Aldridge (18.3).
The 6-foot-6 guard-forward was a member of the Spanish Olympic team. He scored 22 points in the gold medal game against the United States. The U.S. won 118-107, but Fernandez became something of a YouTube celebrity for a monster dunk over Dwight Howard in the final.
Fernandez was lured to Portland this season after seven years with DKV Joventut Badalona of the Spanish ACB League. The Blazers acquired him from Phoenix, who selected him with the 24th overall pick in the 2007 draft.
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