“It was the fall of 1989 and Williams had just completed his first training camp with the Blazers after being traded in the summer from New Jersey in exchange for Sam Bowie and a first-round draft pick. Drexler, the team's star, was giving Williams a ride home. It was a startling experience, Williams said, in part because he says Drexler was a terrible driver, and in part because of the heavy words laid on him by Drexler. "We were coming home, and he looked at me and said 'We can win a championship with you,'" Williams remembers.”

I’m sure the majority of us here know about those Blazers with Clyde Drexler and that whole gang, but mostly as a stepping stone on MJ’s path to become the greatest basketball player ever. The short version of the ~7 years before they became championship contenders goes like this:

Clyde Drexler was drafted to Portland in the 1983 draft and in his second season became a big contributor, averaging 19 ppg, 7 apg, and 7 rpg in the 43 games he started, and he was selected as an all star by his 3rd season. Before the 1984-85 season, Portland traded for Kiki Vandeweghe from Denver, fresh off averaging 29 ppg and back to back all star worthy seasons. Portland drafted all star point guard Terry Porter in the 1985 draft and acquired another future all star in Kevin Duckworth in the 1986-87 season. Portland had all the makings of a really good team, and even cracked 50 wins in the 1988 season, but between 1984-1989, they made the playoffs all 6 years but only got past the first round once, and by the time the 1989-90 season rolled around, they were on a streak of 4 consecutive 1st round losses and a stinker 39 win season immediately following winning 53 games in 1988. 

Enter Buck Williams. Buck had spent the first 8 years of his career with the New Jersey Nets, where he still to this day holds numerous franchise records (games, minutes, free throws, rebounds, win shares). He had made 3 all star teams and was renowned around the league for his hard nosed attitude, and his defensive and rebounding abilities. He had become unhappy in New Jersey for their lack of success (New Jersey had only made it past round 1 once since 1983, similar to Portland) and fun fact: Michael Jordan, according to the book The Jordan Rules, lobbied “extensively” to get Buck Williams to Chicago during the 88-89 season. That obviously didn’t happen, and Buck was traded during the offseason to Portland in exchange for Sam Bowie, the notorious bust of the 1984 draft class, and their 1989 first round pick that New Jersey would use to select future all star Mookie Blaylock. 

The acquisition of Buck immediately turned Portland’s defense from mediocre (14th in DRTG in 1989) to elite practically overnight (top 4 in DRTG from 1990-93) and during Buck's first 3 seasons there, Portland enjoyed great success. In 1989 they’d suffered their 4th straight 1st round exit after winning just 39 games, but during 1990-92, Portland went 179-67. They went to 3 straight Western Conference Finals and 2 NBA Finals, losing to Detroit in 1990 and Chicago in 1992. 

Buck’s individual stats weren’t exactly eye popping (12 ppg, 9 rpg on 9.2 rTS from 1990-92) but he excelled in areas where Portland needed it most. He was the old school enforcer around the basket that Portland needed to be successful. His tenacious defensive rebounding abilities helped bring Portland from 16th in the league in defensive rebounding to 4th, and the number 1 overall rebounding team in the league. His defensive contributions earned him 2 All Defensive 1st team selections in 1990 and 1991, and another 2nd team selection in 1992. His rebounds often started the Blazers vaunted fastbreak offense, and it’s certainly no coincidence that Portland happened to immediately go from first round afterthought to championship contender after trading for him.

After their 1992 finals run though, Buck’s age began to catch up with him. He still anchored 2 top 10 defenses in Portland after that finals run, but his offensive production steadily dipped and he soon turned into another role player and retired as a member of the New York Knicks after the 1998 season. That stretch of Portland basketball remains the organization's best run, and while Buck may not have been the best player on those teams, he was arguably the most important, and to me, he deserves to be remembered for it. 

P.S. If y’all would like something to debate over, the Sports Analytics Club Program in Fordham Prep created a compelling case for Buck Williams’ Hall of Fame candidacy based on statistical analysis. They’ve already succeeded in other endeavors, some club members in Virginia helped get Ben Wallace into the Hall of Fame. What’re your thoughts on Buck’s Hall of Fame case? He’s scheduled to be up for nomination again this year.

Opening quote: https://www.oregonlive.com/behindblazersbeat/2010/04/blazers_top_40_no_7_buck_willi.html