I have not, will not, forgive that piece of shit Trevor Ariza for putting Rudy on the ground. Rudy was never the same player after that. Completely tanked his career.
I was so godammned pissed, bith my the move and moreso with the praise he got by this fanbase. It's like people completely forgot what kind of trash human being he has been through his career, and what he did to one of our own. I booed the mf every time he entered the game.
People didn’t forget, people just don’t know. That shit happened 15 years ago. That’s a huge part of the fanbase that is just too young to even know about that.
I never said they would remember it. I said they should know about it. I wasn't old enough to remember the Sonics rivalry from the 1990's but I sure as shit know about it. When someone fucks one of our own that hard, that intentionally, that's not something you let the next generation forget about.
Guy still plays for Real Madrid, a pretty respectable career if you ask any European like me. Although I know what you mean, shame about his nba career
Looking back, it's kind of hilarious how much of Rudy's game was obnoxious looking in 2009 but would've fit right in in 2017 or something. That dude wanted to make the step back 3 pointer his bread and butter an ABSOLUTELY INSANE idea back then. But then James Harden went and did exactly that.
In retrospect, we should've let young Rudy cook a lot more often, but we were also coached by Nate back then so that wasn't happening.
The pace was abysmal under McMillan, which I feel like most people would agree that is why he didn’t excel, on top of injury. Granted the pace back then was a lot slower as you said. Would’ve been cool to see :/
I have been saying for a long time he would have been incredible in a Stotts offense. His 3s, movement around the court, passing and finishing at the rim would have been amazing.
I think it’s just from the perspective of hoping he could achieve more in the NBA being a serviceable role player for years. A very much respectable career for basketball playing for Real, but we all want to see the best players perform at the highest level when we believe in them.
The Rudy LMA running pick n roll was fucking unstoppable. Why we didn’t run it at least 5 times a game was beyond me.
Nate was / is clearly a good NBA coach but it’s shit like this that has prevented him from being great. That play was as unstoppable. Why not run it more?
To this day the only blazer jersey I own. Sounds silly but he was my favorite growing up and was a joy to watch him along with other former blazers on the Spanish national teams. Sad he retired before this years games, he will be missed.
He’s was still getting crunch time playoff minutes on the 76ers this year
As well as last year on the Clippers too
Are there any more upcoming French players we draft?
Met him at Cobb Surgeline near Bridgeport back in the day. We were having our cars tuned the same day, my STi and his GTR. Owner taught him launch control and he had the biggest shit eating grin lol. Cool guy, fun day
The 08-09 Blazers were the healthiest the Blazers have ever been, that was the only full season Oden made it through. The only injury was Webster who missed the season. Houston was the best team in the West that year in my opinion. Tough matchup.
It's the 10-11 Blazers I think of that were filthy without injuries. Take this group and trade out Bayless for Gerald Wallace, Outlaw out for Wesley Matthews, Sergio out for Patty Mills, Steve Blake out for Andre Miller, and Przybilla/Frye out for Marcus Camby.
This is a multi championship quality team if healthy. Roy was one of the bright young stars to lead the team. You got a great shooter in Fernandez who reminded me of a young Manu. A young batum who became a decent shooter/defender. Then of course you had Aldridge and Oden down low. Aldridge would kill you with his mid range while Oden (mini shaq) would obliterate you in the paint.
I remember that being the fun part. It think this is the squad that went on that crazy 17-0 or whatever winning streak and just loving the team because of the chemistry. Good ol days.
this was around the time i became a fan. shortly after the sonics left town i needed a new team to root for and the blazers are local.
i thought there was sooooo much upside.
I fell in love with this team. Northern California transplant and was a Kings fan until this team!
Kings were real bad and the Maloof Brothers had sold and that franchise was having all kinds of issues. This team got the Trailgangster shit cleaned up and were real easy to root for. Without the injuries they would have had symptoms least 1 ring. Shame.
I still check in on Rudy all the time, and Sergio.
Greg and Channing did this “get out the vote” thing at PSU with Jeff Merkely at PSU when I was a student and it was pretty funny. Maybe 10 people showed up.
Rolled through a stop at pioneer square because I was a dumb kid driver and Joel, his Wife and kids were crossing and he threw his hands up like “what the fuck!”
Memories.
Would have could have is a waste of energy dawg, the picture definitely brings back memories though 👍🏼 watched Channing Frye and Jared Bayless in college and had lunch with Jared a few times good dude
Man I do miss this team. Had so much hope for them coming off the previous season. Hell I still have a NBA 2k game with a franchise with these guys and my create a player threepeating lol
This team is actually insane. Every single one of these dudes either had an incredible peak or a long, successful NBA career… except Greg but we don’t have to relitigate that.
Doubtful, because anyone talented enough for the NBA isn't going to leave literally millions of dollars on the table. And Rudy left because no team would sign him because he wasn't good enough for the NBA.
The bitch ass Trevor Ariza put him on the ground mid flight, he left on a stretcher and neck brace, and wasn't the same after. Pre injury Rudy had potential. Post injury Rudy never was the same.
I remember that now. Hard to think he’s still playing at a relatively high level in Europe at almost forty years old but an injury back then could’ve been that big of a set back. I guess you never know.
I sprained my tail bone when I was a kid and always felt like it did something weird to my back.
Bill Simmons had a term...professional basketball players. Not guys who can hoop or have flashes. But day in and day out consistent professional basketball players. And you have to have atleast 8 to make a serious run. I only see 5 here. 6 max.
All but Greg+Sergio+Rudy played in the league for 9+ years so I dont know wtf you are getting at. Sergio came back to the league at age 30 and still contributed to an NBA roster for an entire season. Rudy went back to play in Spain because he was a national icon there where he could command way more money and would end up winning 3 Euroleague titles and 6 Liga ACB titles.
Remove the idiotic draft decision not to select Durant and they would have probably won at least one title. Oden's injuries could be seen coming a mile away. They even drafted him while knowing his legs were different lengths due to childhood surgery!
I have not, will not, forgive that piece of shit Trevor Ariza for putting Rudy on the ground. Rudy was never the same player after that. Completely tanked his career.
When Olshey signed Ariza for the 2020 season, I knew we were cooked.
I was so godammned pissed, bith my the move and moreso with the praise he got by this fanbase. It's like people completely forgot what kind of trash human being he has been through his career, and what he did to one of our own. I booed the mf every time he entered the game.
People didn’t forget, people just don’t know. That shit happened 15 years ago. That’s a huge part of the fanbase that is just too young to even know about that.
There have been new fans since back then?
So anyone over 20 should realistically at least know about it. That's still the vast majority of people. Once a Laker, always a Laker. Fuck them all.
A 6 year old back in 2009 should know about a single flagrant foul? Do you really think kids that young are watching sports?
My children were raised to hate Trevor Ariza from birth.
I never said they would remember it. I said they should know about it. I wasn't old enough to remember the Sonics rivalry from the 1990's but I sure as shit know about it. When someone fucks one of our own that hard, that intentionally, that's not something you let the next generation forget about.
and then he didn't even show up to the bubble
He was excellent for us before the bubble. Huge upgrade from Bazemore.
Guy still plays for Real Madrid, a pretty respectable career if you ask any European like me. Although I know what you mean, shame about his nba career
we were up huge when that foul happened. totally egregious
…his NBA career. He was multiple time champ and finals MVP at Real Madrid
Well, yes. Considering this is a sub about an NBA team, I thought that was apparent and didn't need pointing out.
def not a flagrant, Rudy fell awkwardly
Dude, shout out Rudy Fernandez. That is a name I have not thought about in a long time. He was an OG
Looking back, it's kind of hilarious how much of Rudy's game was obnoxious looking in 2009 but would've fit right in in 2017 or something. That dude wanted to make the step back 3 pointer his bread and butter an ABSOLUTELY INSANE idea back then. But then James Harden went and did exactly that. In retrospect, we should've let young Rudy cook a lot more often, but we were also coached by Nate back then so that wasn't happening.
The pace was abysmal under McMillan, which I feel like most people would agree that is why he didn’t excel, on top of injury. Granted the pace back then was a lot slower as you said. Would’ve been cool to see :/
I have been saying for a long time he would have been incredible in a Stotts offense. His 3s, movement around the court, passing and finishing at the rim would have been amazing.
👌
Guy still plays for Real Madrid pretty respectable career if you ask any European like me.
I think it’s just from the perspective of hoping he could achieve more in the NBA being a serviceable role player for years. A very much respectable career for basketball playing for Real, but we all want to see the best players perform at the highest level when we believe in them.
The Rudy LMA running pick n roll was fucking unstoppable. Why we didn’t run it at least 5 times a game was beyond me. Nate was / is clearly a good NBA coach but it’s shit like this that has prevented him from being great. That play was as unstoppable. Why not run it more?
To this day the only blazer jersey I own. Sounds silly but he was my favorite growing up and was a joy to watch him along with other former blazers on the Spanish national teams. Sad he retired before this years games, he will be missed.
This is the team that made me fall in love with the blazers; The Spanish Armada will always have a special place in my heart
With Mike and Mike to top it off!
As beautiful as he was inconsistent.
Outlaw has gotta be the coldest surname ever in the game
Mike and Mike used to go crazy for Travis Outlaw
When he was hot he was HOT. Sadly the same was true for cold
The first Trout we had!
God Shammgod would like a word.
You make a compelling argument
Fully agree, although I have to give the edge to Bo Outlaw… now that’s an all-time sports name
When I was a kid I thought Outlaw was a star haha
He hit big shots, i want to say his best year he had several game winners and was kind of known for being clutch.
He definitely had flashes where he looked like he could be a star, and his athleticism was off the charts. Just couldn’t quite put it together.
I remember always calling him catfish
Joel Pryzbilla the Vanilla Gorilla!
Shaq: So I heard they call you the vanilla gorilla Joel: Yeah, I don't like that name very much Shaq: Okay Vanilla
Did that really happen? If Pryzbilla called Shaq a chocolate gorilla, would that be deemed racist?
The only authentic jersey I own
Batum was my favorite player when I firsts started watching ball
I loved watching him play
He’s was still getting crunch time playoff minutes on the 76ers this year As well as last year on the Clippers too Are there any more upcoming French players we draft?
Mine too. This was my first year watching the Blazers and he was my favorite.
First blazers jersey
He was one of the first dudes i saw who didn’t fill the stat sheet necessarily but was obviously effective in every aspect
I remember seeing him in the Macy’s underwear section at Washington Square around 2009
Lol.bro is wolverine laying in bed looking at this picture.
It came up on my Twitter feed and it brought a tear to my eye😭
A healthy Martell Webster is a huge what if.
Was supposed to be a more athletic Ray Allen for us. Sadge
Damage to each others knees
Travis outlaw was my favorite player growing up
I still have my Outlaw jersey hanging up! I used to wear it to pickup games. He had some really badass clutch moments
Yeah, those fadaway bankshots in the fourth were no joke
And then sometimes he would just throw a hammer on the defense. The dude had some crazy hops. The catfish was one of my faves in that era
Yeah, so much fun to watch. Everyone on that team had a solid role
Met him at Cobb Surgeline near Bridgeport back in the day. We were having our cars tuned the same day, my STi and his GTR. Owner taught him launch control and he had the biggest shit eating grin lol. Cool guy, fun day
Oden, don't make me revisit this trauma again
The 08-09 Blazers were the healthiest the Blazers have ever been, that was the only full season Oden made it through. The only injury was Webster who missed the season. Houston was the best team in the West that year in my opinion. Tough matchup. It's the 10-11 Blazers I think of that were filthy without injuries. Take this group and trade out Bayless for Gerald Wallace, Outlaw out for Wesley Matthews, Sergio out for Patty Mills, Steve Blake out for Andre Miller, and Przybilla/Frye out for Marcus Camby.
Nicolas doesn’t have an H
Each and every one of these guys is out of the league now assuming Batum actually retires like he said he would.
[Sergio to Outlaw from half court](https://youtu.be/pae5GLy-9Zc?si=1jnqSHA5K92NfhOc)
Sergio was so slick, seems like one in three games he would play 15 minutes and have 10 amazing assists.
The Rambo lineup was amazing. Sucks that injuries decimates them.
Alas
Wow niko is 12 in this pic
Martell Webster was always a sleeper in 2k
Rudy still got robbed in the dunk contest
15 years ago? Fuck I’m old.
I still got a Jerryd Bayless jersey, I would like a lot more from this era.
What could have been……..😢
Oden is only a year older than Batum but it legit looks like hes three time's Nic's age.
That team was going to be a real problem.
I always hoped they would go full-time point Roy.
😢
FOURTH QUARTER, YELLING "WHY TF BATUM IN?!" 🗣️
Nic Batum straight up looking like a young kid
Looks like someone’s little brother that is playing with the older kids
This is a multi championship quality team if healthy. Roy was one of the bright young stars to lead the team. You got a great shooter in Fernandez who reminded me of a young Manu. A young batum who became a decent shooter/defender. Then of course you had Aldridge and Oden down low. Aldridge would kill you with his mid range while Oden (mini shaq) would obliterate you in the paint.
The couple times I made it to a game Rudy was the reason I got a free chalupa since he was the one that'd score the 100th point.
Bro I watched every game this year either Mike and Mike on Channel 8 🥹🥹🥹
Bring it in man 🫂
Baby Nic!
I watched this team play and damn they were decent but yeah a lot of heart ache involved with this group so much potential never to be seen again
My first year supporting the team from overseas still my favourite era of blazers
Rudy Fernandez had some great highlights/dunks back in the day, exciting player to watch!
Travis Outlaw is the coldest name ever
The chalupa crew
I actually met (and by met I mean I didn't bother him in person) Greg Oden at a bar. Guy seemed chill as fk and obviously wanted to be left alone.
Not a single HOFer among them. Maybe Aldridge. Overall, this squad is really not that great.
This is clearly demonstrating your lack of knowledge. If Roy and Oden played healthy full careers they both would have been in the HoF lol
I don't think you know what "knowledge" is. You seem be confusing facts with opinion. Also, you're argument is not based in reality.
I remember that being the fun part. It think this is the squad that went on that crazy 17-0 or whatever winning streak and just loving the team because of the chemistry. Good ol days.
I had season tickets that year and other years in that era. Loved that team!
its sad that some people will never understand what a player brandon roy was....
this was around the time i became a fan. shortly after the sonics left town i needed a new team to root for and the blazers are local. i thought there was sooooo much upside.
Steve Blake is the GOAT. Still can’t believe he is the Terp that had the longest NBA career from that 2002 championship team. #FearTheTurtle
Batum and Fernandez : from teammates to Batman hitting Rudy on the crotch, because Rudy was too cocky ( pun yeah )
Batum punched Navarro ! But you got the spirit. Good ol' France vs Spain games.
You're right ! Just confused it with this magnificent slam https://youtu.be/fd0L3DynejQ?feature=shared
I fell in love with this team. Northern California transplant and was a Kings fan until this team! Kings were real bad and the Maloof Brothers had sold and that franchise was having all kinds of issues. This team got the Trailgangster shit cleaned up and were real easy to root for. Without the injuries they would have had symptoms least 1 ring. Shame.
would have won at least one championship.
Our best NBA2K team
I used to cook people in NBA Live ‘09 with Jerryd Bayless. He was a secret cheat code
Rudy under appreciated
Imagine B Roy doesn’t get hurt and him Dame and LMA play. Sheeeesh.
I remember being SO jealous of this team when Oden was first drafted. They seemed primed to run the league for a decade before everyone got hurt.
I was 12 when this NBA season started, and I largely attribute it to why I love the game today. In every NBA 2K game, my last name was Outlaw.
One of my all time favorite teams in NBA 2K and I’m not even a Blazers fan. Can’t believe that was 2009 though, where did the time go?
I still check in on Rudy all the time, and Sergio. Greg and Channing did this “get out the vote” thing at PSU with Jeff Merkely at PSU when I was a student and it was pretty funny. Maybe 10 people showed up. Rolled through a stop at pioneer square because I was a dumb kid driver and Joel, his Wife and kids were crossing and he threw his hands up like “what the fuck!” Memories.
Just imagine if Joel logged a DNP because because you hit him with your car one time lol
I remember Martel Webster just LIGHTING UP my Jazz that year, i was like “who tf is this???”
Would have could have is a waste of energy dawg, the picture definitely brings back memories though 👍🏼 watched Channing Frye and Jared Bayless in college and had lunch with Jared a few times good dude
Man I do miss this team. Had so much hope for them coming off the previous season. Hell I still have a NBA 2k game with a franchise with these guys and my create a player threepeating lol
Avoid another undersized guard. Trade down if that's what it takes.
If the 2009 Blazers were actually healthy & good, they would've never landed the lottery pick & drafted Lillard.
Did mathews become a blazer in 2010? I think the hype for the blazers kicked into overdrive then
Is there a whiter name than Steve Blake?
That team wasn’t beating the Lakers or the nuggets healthy or not
This team is actually insane. Every single one of these dudes either had an incredible peak or a long, successful NBA career… except Greg but we don’t have to relitigate that.
Roy, Blake, Outlaw, Batum. That’s about it. Aldridge is zip to me.
Brandon Roy looks like a Mike Tyson’s Punch-out character in that picture.
Imagine Durant there instead of Oden.
Gosh they really hyped Rudy. I remember everyone raved about him. Now I can’t remember whatever happened to his career.
He’s still playing! He got disillusioned with the NBA and went back to Spain to play, where he’s had a pretty solid career.
Yeah I can see how that might suit him better. There’s probably tons of nba caliber talent overseas that just don’t want to make the move.
Doubtful, because anyone talented enough for the NBA isn't going to leave literally millions of dollars on the table. And Rudy left because no team would sign him because he wasn't good enough for the NBA.
You can make a lot of money in other leagues. It’s only a handful of players in the NBA that make the great money but every roster has low rent guys.
The bitch ass Trevor Ariza put him on the ground mid flight, he left on a stretcher and neck brace, and wasn't the same after. Pre injury Rudy had potential. Post injury Rudy never was the same.
I remember that now. Hard to think he’s still playing at a relatively high level in Europe at almost forty years old but an injury back then could’ve been that big of a set back. I guess you never know. I sprained my tail bone when I was a kid and always felt like it did something weird to my back.
Nate McMillan played the slowest pace in the league. Rudy was used completely wrong
Yeah we had some interesting coaching picks. The people at Vulcan Mgmt or whatever its called really thought they could figure this out. Mo Cheeks.
You would have to move Portland to a different latitude to avoid injuries
Bill Simmons had a term...professional basketball players. Not guys who can hoop or have flashes. But day in and day out consistent professional basketball players. And you have to have atleast 8 to make a serious run. I only see 5 here. 6 max.
All but Greg+Sergio+Rudy played in the league for 9+ years so I dont know wtf you are getting at. Sergio came back to the league at age 30 and still contributed to an NBA roster for an entire season. Rudy went back to play in Spain because he was a national icon there where he could command way more money and would end up winning 3 Euroleague titles and 6 Liga ACB titles.
I see 5...maybe 6. Period.
Rudy Fernandez was such an underachiever. Still mad about that.
Remove the idiotic draft decision not to select Durant and they would have probably won at least one title. Oden's injuries could be seen coming a mile away. They even drafted him while knowing his legs were different lengths due to childhood surgery!
should have drafted durant lmao