Clyde Drexler facts for kids
Drexler at the University of Houston
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | June 22, 1962 New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. |
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| High school | Sterling (Houston, Texas) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 222 lb (101 kg) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Career information | ||||||||||||||||||||
| College | Houston (1980–1983) | |||||||||||||||||||
| NBA Draft | 1983 / Round: 1 / Pick: 14th overall | |||||||||||||||||||
| Selected by the Portland Trail Blazers | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Pro career | 1983–1998 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Coaching career | 1998–2002 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Career history | ||||||||||||||||||||
| As player: | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1983–1995 | Portland Trail Blazers | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1995–1998 | Houston Rockets | |||||||||||||||||||
| As coach: | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1998–2000 | Houston Cougars | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2001–2002 | Denver Nuggets (assistant) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Career NBA statistics | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Points | 22,195 (20.4 ppg) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Rebounds | 6,677 (6.1 rpg) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Assists | 6,125 (5.6 apg) | |||||||||||||||||||
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Medals
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Clyde Austin Drexler (born June 22, 1962) is a famous American former professional basketball player. He is known as "Clyde the Glide" because of how smoothly he moved on the court. He played 15 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Most of his career was with the Portland Trail Blazers, and he finished with the Houston Rockets.
Clyde Drexler was chosen for the NBA All-Star team ten times. He was also named to the NBA's 50th and 75th anniversary teams. He won an NBA championship with the Houston Rockets in 1995. He also won a gold medal with the 1992 United States Olympic team, famously called "The Dream Team." Drexler was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame twice. First, in 2004 for his own career, and again in 2010 as part of "The Dream Team." Many people consider him one of the best basketball players ever.
Contents
Early Life and High School
Clyde Drexler was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. He grew up in the South Park area of Houston, Texas. He went to Ross Sterling High School in Houston. A famous tennis player, Zina Garrison, was his classmate there.
When he was a sophomore, he joined the varsity baseball team. He tried out for the basketball team but did not make it. By his senior year, Drexler was a tall 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) center for the basketball team. College coaches started noticing him after he scored 34 points and grabbed 27 rebounds in a game. This happened during a Christmas tournament in 1979.
After high school in 1980, he was recruited by several universities. His childhood friend, Michael Young, told a coach at the University of Houston that Drexler was the best player he had ever played against. Drexler chose Houston because he wanted to stay close to home and play with his friend Michael. He studied finance and worked at a bank during the summer.
College Basketball Career
At the University of Houston, Drexler, Young, Larry Micheaux, and Hakeem Olajuwon formed a famous group. They were known as "Phi Slama Jama" because of their amazing dunks and exciting style of play. New players had to stand under the basket while Drexler dunked over them as a fun initiation.
Houston reached the Final Four in 1982, but they lost to North Carolina. Drexler averaged 15.2 points and 10.5 rebounds per game that season. In the 1982–83 season, Houston was ranked No. 1 and returned to the Final Four. They played against Louisville in a thrilling game filled with incredible dunks. Houston won 94–81, with Drexler scoring 21 points.
In the championship game against North Carolina State, Drexler got into foul trouble early. He only scored four points, and NC State won in an upset.
Drexler decided to enter the NBA draft after his junior year. He finished his college career with great stats. He is the only player in Houston's history with over 1,000 points, 900 rebounds, and 300 assists. He also holds the school record for steals with 268.
NBA Career Highlights
Playing for the Portland Trail Blazers (1983–1995)
The Portland Trail Blazers picked Clyde Drexler as the 14th player in the 1983 NBA draft. In his first year, he averaged 7.7 points per game. By his second season, his numbers jumped to 17.2 points, 6 rebounds, and 5.5 assists. In his third season, he made his first All-Star team.
On January 6, 1989, Drexler scored a career-high 50 points in a game against the Sacramento Kings. In the 1989–1990 season, he led the Trail Blazers to the 1990 NBA Finals. The Blazers beat the Phoenix Suns to win the Western Conference. In the Finals, they played against the Detroit Pistons. Drexler scored 33 points in Game 2, helping Portland win their only game in the series.
In the 1990–1991 season, Portland had their best record ever, 63 wins and 19 losses. Drexler played in every game and averaged 21.5 points. However, the Los Angeles Lakers defeated them in the Western Conference Finals.
The 1991–92 season was amazing for Drexler. He was named to the All-NBA First Team and finished second in MVP voting to Michael Jordan. He averaged 25 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 6.7 assists. The Blazers reached the 1992 NBA Finals again, facing Jordan and the Chicago Bulls. Drexler led the Blazers in scoring in every game of the series. Despite their efforts, the Bulls won the championship in six games.
Later that year, Drexler was chosen for the U.S. Olympic basketball team. This team was famously known as "The Dream Team." They won the gold medal at the Barcelona Olympics.
When he left the Blazers, Drexler was the team's all-time leading scorer with 18,040 points. This record stood until Damian Lillard passed him in 2022.
Winning a Championship with the Houston Rockets (1995–1998)
On February 14, 1995, Drexler asked to be traded to a team that could win a championship. The Blazers sent him home to the Houston Rockets. He joined his long-time friend Hakeem Olajuwon. Even though the Rockets finished the regular season with a modest record, Drexler and Olajuwon led them to an amazing second straight championship in 1995.
In the first round of the playoffs, Drexler scored 41 points in a crucial game against the Utah Jazz. The Rockets won that series and then won every other elimination game. In the Finals, the Rockets swept the Orlando Magic. In his third and final NBA Finals appearance, Drexler averaged 21.5 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 6.8 assists.
Drexler played his last three full seasons with the Rockets. In the 1995–96 season, he averaged 19.3 points, but knee and ankle injuries limited him. The Rockets lost to the Seattle SuperSonics in the playoffs.
For the 1996-97 season, the Rockets added Charles Barkley. Drexler was named to the All-Star Game, but he couldn't play due to a hamstring injury. The Rockets made it to the Conference Finals but lost to the Jazz.
The 1997–98 season was his final year in the NBA. He played 70 games, averaging 18.4 points. The Rockets made the playoffs but lost to the Jazz in the first round. Drexler retired at 35, wanting to leave the game while still playing well. At that time, he was one of only three players in history with 20,000 points, 6,000 assists, and 6,000 rebounds. He never missed the playoffs in his fifteen seasons.
NBA Career Statistics
| Legend | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
Regular season
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983–84 | Portland | 82 | 3 | 17.2 | .451 | .250 | .728 | 2.9 | 1.9 | 1.3 | .4 | 7.7 |
| 1984–85 | Portland | 80 | 43 | 31.9 | .494 | .216 | .759 | 6.0 | 5.5 | 2.2 | .9 | 17.2 |
| 1985–86 | Portland | 75 | 58 | 34.3 | .475 | .200 | .769 | 5.6 | 8.0 | 2.6 | .6 | 18.5 |
| 1986–87 | Portland | 82 | 82 | 38.0 | .502 | .234 | .760 | 6.3 | 6.9 | 2.5 | .9 | 21.7 |
| 1987–88 | Portland | 81 | 80 | 37.8 | .506 | .212 | .811 | 6.6 | 5.8 | 2.5 | .6 | 27.0 |
| 1988–89 | Portland | 78 | 78 | 39.3 | .496 | .260 | .799 | 7.9 | 5.8 | 2.7 | .7 | 27.2 |
| 1989–90 | Portland | 73 | 73 | 36.8 | .494 | .283 | .774 | 6.9 | 5.9 | 2.0 | .7 | 23.3 |
| 1990–91 | Portland | 82 | 82 | 34.8 | .482 | .319 | .794 | 6.7 | 6.0 | 1.8 | .7 | 21.5 |
| 1991–92 | Portland | 76 | 76 | 36.2 | .470 | .337 | .794 | 6.6 | 6.7 | 1.8 | .9 | 25.0 |
| 1992–93 | Portland | 49 | 49 | 34.1 | .429 | .233 | .839 | 6.3 | 5.7 | 1.9 | .8 | 19.9 |
| 1993–94 | Portland | 68 | 68 | 34.3 | .428 | .324 | .777 | 6.5 | 4.9 | 1.4 | .5 | 19.2 |
| 1994–95 | Portland | 41 | 41 | 34.8 | .428 | .363 | .835 | 5.7 | 5.1 | 1.8 | .5 | 22.0 |
| 1994–95† | Houston | 35 | 34 | 37.1 | .506 | .357 | .809 | 7.0 | 4.4 | 1.8 | .7 | 21.4 |
| 1995–96 | Houston | 52 | 51 | 38.4 | .433 | .332 | .784 | 7.2 | 5.8 | 2.0 | .5 | 19.3 |
| 1996–97 | Houston | 62 | 62 | 36.6 | .442 | .355 | .750 | 6.0 | 5.7 | 1.9 | .6 | 18.0 |
| 1997–98 | Houston | 70 | 70 | 35.3 | .427 | .317 | .801 | 4.9 | 5.5 | 1.8 | .6 | 18.4 |
| Career | 1,086 | 950 | 34.6 | .472 | .318 | .788 | 6.1 | 5.6 | 2.0 | .7 | 20.4 | |
| All-Star | 9 | 4 | 18.4 | .506 | .286 | 1.000 | 4.9 | 2.6 | 1.3 | .7 | 10.7 | |
Playoffs
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | Portland | 5 | — | 17.0 | .429 | .000 | .857 | 3.4 | 1.6 | 1.0 | .2 | 7.2 |
| 1985 | Portland | 9 | 9 | 37.7 | .410 | .286 | .844 | 6.1 | 9.2 | 2.6 | 1.0 | 16.7 |
| 1986 | Portland | 4 | 4 | 36.3 | .456 | .400 | .783 | 6.3 | 6.5 | 1.5 | .8 | 18.0 |
| 1987 | Portland | 4 | 4 | 38.3 | .456 | .250 | .793 | 7.5 | 3.8 | 1.8 | .8 | 24.0 |
| 1988 | Portland | 4 | 4 | 42.5 | .386 | .500 | .724 | 7.0 | 5.3 | 3.0 | .5 | 22.0 |
| 1989 | Portland | 3 | 3 | 42.7 | .493 | .000 | .765 | 6.7 | 8.3 | 2.0 | .7 | 27.7 |
| 1990 | Portland | 21 | 21 | 40.6 | .441 | .220 | .774 | 7.2 | 7.1 | 2.5 | .9 | 21.4 |
| 1991 | Portland | 16 | 16 | 39.6 | .476 | .268 | .776 | 8.1 | 8.1 | 2.1 | 1.0 | 21.7 |
| 1992 | Portland | 21 | 21 | 40.3 | .466 | .235 | .807 | 7.4 | 7.0 | 1.5 | 1.0 | 26.3 |
| 1993 | Portland | 3 | 3 | 38.7 | .419 | .417 | .800 | 6.3 | 4.7 | 1.7 | 1.0 | 19.0 |
| 1994 | Portland | 4 | 4 | 39.3 | .425 | .231 | .826 | 10.3 | 5.5 | 2.0 | .5 | 21.0 |
| 1995† | Houston | 22 | 22 | 38.6 | .481 | .303 | .786 | 7.0 | 5.0 | 1.5 | .7 | 20.5 |
| 1996 | Houston | 8 | 8 | 36.5 | .415 | .265 | .765 | 7.8 | 5.0 | 2.6 | .5 | 16.6 |
| 1997 | Houston | 16 | 16 | 38.9 | .436 | .373 | .778 | 5.6 | 4.8 | 1.6 | .4 | 18.1 |
| 1998 | Houston | 5 | 5 | 36.4 | .309 | .192 | .757 | 5.4 | 4.6 | 1.6 | .6 | 15.0 |
| Career | 145 | 140 | 38.4 | .447 | .288 | .787 | 6.9 | 6.1 | 1.9 | .7 | 20.4 | |
Awards and Honors
Clyde Drexler received many awards during his career:
- First-team NCAA All-American (1983)
- Southwest Conference Player of the Year (1983)
- 10-time NBA All-Star (1986, 1988–1994, 1996, 1997)
- All-NBA First Team (1992)
- All-NBA Second Team (1988, 1991)
- All-NBA Third Team (1990, 1995)
- Olympic gold medalist (1992)
- NBA championship (1995)
- Named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History (1996)
- Two-time Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Inductee
- Oregon Sports Hall of Fame Inducted (2001)
- Named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team (2021)
Player Style and Skills
Clyde "The Glide" Drexler was known for his incredible speed and athletic moves on the basketball court. Off the court, he was calm and quiet. At the University of Houston, he was famous for his ability to finish plays strongly. He wasn't known as a great shooter back then.
As a professional, Drexler improved his game a lot. He became a better shooter and could even play well close to the basket. His amazing jumping ability allowed him to perform acrobatic dunks. He participated in many NBA All-Star dunk contests in the late 1980s.
Drexler was a very versatile player. He was always among the top players in points, rebounds, assists, and steals. He also had a lot of blocked shots for a guard. He ranks third all-time among guards for career blocked shots.
In 1989, Drexler set a Trail Blazers record by dunking on a rim that was 11 feet, 1 inch high. As of 2008, he led all guards in career offensive rebounds per game, with 2.4. In 2021, The Athletic ranked Drexler as the 43rd greatest player in NBA history.
College Coaching Career
After retiring from the NBA in 1998, Clyde Drexler became the head men's basketball coach at his old college, the University of Houston.
Drexler coached the Cougars for two seasons, 1998–99 and 1999–2000. He had a record of 19 wins and 39 losses. After these two seasons, Drexler decided to resign. He wanted to spend more time with his family.
Head Coaching Record
| Season | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Postseason | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houston Cougars (Conference USA) (1998–2000) | |||||||||
| 1998–99 | Houston | 10–17 | 5–11 | 6th (National) | |||||
| 1999–00 | Houston | 9–22 | 2–14 | 6th (National) | |||||
| Houston: | 19–39 (.327) | 7–25 (.219) | |||||||
| Total: | 19–39 (.327) | ||||||||
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National champion Conference regular season champion Conference tournament champion |
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More Honors and Recognition
Clyde Drexler's jersey number, 22, has been retired by three teams. These are the Houston Cougars, the Houston Rockets, and the Portland Trail Blazers. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on September 10, 2004. This was his first year of eligibility.
In 1996, he was named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History. In 2021, he was also named to the league's 75th anniversary team. In 2004, Drexler wrote his biography, Clyde the Glide. He also wrote the introduction for a children's book called Shrews Can't Hoop.
Personal Life
Clyde Drexler married Gaynell on December 30, 1988. They later divorced in 2011. He has four children: Erica, Austin, Elise, and Adam. In 2014, Drexler married his second wife, Tonya. He met her through fellow NBA star Dominique Wilkins.
Drexler has owned homes in Houston and Portland. His brother James and two sisters, Denise and Virginia, used to run family barbecue restaurants in Houston. These restaurants were called Drexler's World Famous BBQ & Grill. His mother, Eunice Scott, also worked at the downtown restaurant. Drexler also started investing in real estate when he was a rookie in the NBA. He now manages his company, Drexler Holdings LLC, based in Houston.
TV Appearances
Drexler has appeared on several TV shows. He was a guest on Married... with Children and had a small role in an episode of Arliss. He also guest-starred in an episode of The Sentinel.
In 2006, he had a small role in the basketball movie Like Mike 2: Streetball. That same year, Drexler was on the show Pros vs. Joes. This show features amateur contestants competing against professional athletes.
On February 21, 2007, it was announced that Drexler would be on Dancing with the Stars. He was partnered with Elena Grinenko. Drexler was the fourth celebrity to be voted off the show on April 17, 2007.
On April 11, 2010, Drexler appeared as a guest on NBC's Celebrity Apprentice. He helped the men's team create video advertisements.
Images for kids
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Drexler at the University of Houston
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Drexler slam dunks as a member of the Houston Cougars men's basketball team
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One of only five numbers retired by the University of Houston men's basketball team, Drexler's No. 22 hangs in the Fertitta Center.
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Drexler poses during NBA Global Games in the Philippines in 2013
See also
In Spanish: Clyde Drexler para niños
