No, Lillard isn’t the best Blazer of all time; these two players were better

In December of 2022, Damian Lillard passed Clyde Drexler for most points by a Trail Blazers player of all time.Since that moment, and especially since he requested a trade from Portland, Lillard has been talked about a lot as the Blazers’ best player in their franchise history. Arguments could be made that he is the best shooter in their history, the best scorer in their history, and/or the most clutch Blazer of all time, but he simply is not their best all-time player.

Bill Walton and Drexler both had better careers in Portland than Lillard. Before getting into the two elite resumes of Walton and Drexler, let’s first put some respect on Lillard’s name. After being drafted 6th overall in the 2012 NBA draft out of Weber State, Lillard has won Rookie of the Year, been an All-Star seven times, and been named All-NBA seven times (All-NBA first team once).

He was also named to the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team prior to the 2021–2022 season. Lillard leads the Blazers franchise in total points, PPG, made threes, made free throws, FT%, and player efficiency rating. So why were Walton and Drexler better than him in a black, red, and gray uniform?