Drexler Clyde is a basketball player who has become famous for playing for the Portland Blazers and Houston Rockets teams. The player is considered one of the main wagons in the history of NBA. Clyde was especially effective in attacking. At the same time, Drexler forever secured a column in the list of the best attacking defenders.
early years
Drexler Clyde was born in New Orleans on June 22, 1962. A few years after replenishment in the family, the baby's parents decided to move to Houston. It was here that Clyde successfully graduated from high school, and then entered the local university.
Once in a higher educational institution, the guy quickly won a place in the main part of the student basketball team. Over the course of several game seasons, Clyde Drexler secured statistics: at least 10 rebounds per match and 14 points scored.
Ultimately, the young talent helped his university team called Cougars reach the final stage of the competition in the 1982/1983 student basketball league season. Extraordinary abilities and leadership on the site allowed him to enter the symbolic team of the best young US players.
Clyde Drexler: Sports Career
The first professional contract was offered to the player in 1983 by the leadership of the Portland Trail Blazers team immediately after the completion of his performances for the university. In a series of starting matches for the new team, Clyde Drexler received no more than 17 minutes of playing time on the site. However, even this turned out to be enough for the player to set at least 8 points in the team’s piggy bank.
Pretty soon, Drexler was at the base. At the beginning of the second season in the NBA, the player scored an average of about 20 points, performed several interceptions and about 5 assists to partners during the match. Subsequently, his statistics only improved. Thus, Clyde Drexler began to regularly receive invitations to participate in the match of all stars.
The team of a successful basketball player - “Portland Blazers” - almost every season reached the stage of the playoffs. However, Clyde did not succeed in fulfilling his dream and gaining a champion title.
“Portland” with Drexler as part of the first appeared in the final in 1990. However, the team from Detroit prevailed in the confrontation, which came out the winner of the 5-match series.
The following season, the club of a young star managed to set a record in the history of the NBA. At the end of the year, the team won 63 victories with 19 defeats. However, even a unique indicator did not allow the team to get champion rings. In the final, the Clyde team lost to Los Angeles, where at that time the legendary Magic Johnson shone with all their might .
The season of 1991/1992 is rightfully considered the best in Drexler’s career, at the end of which the player was recognized as one of the 4 leading basketball players of the league. And this is not surprising, since Clyde managed to earn an average of 25 points for his team per match. Once in the final series, the Blazers managed to beat Michael Jordan in Chicago Bulls in only 2 fights, having been defeated in 4.
A number of failures in the final games made Drexler move from Portland to the Houston Rockets team, with which the player signed a contract in 1995. Having reunited with several former university partners, he adapted very quickly in the club, bringing the club into the standings an average of 21 points per game. In the same year, the team won the second title in a row. Thus, Drexler finally received the coveted championship ring.
At the end of his professional career as a player in 2001, Drexler Clyde forever secured the number "22". To date, the figure is removed from the available options for new players of the Houston team.
Coaching
The decision to start coaching career Clyde Drexler made in 1998. At first, the former player coached the university team of his native institution. However, the work of the new coach did not bring noticeable results. So, over two seasons, the student team managed to win only 19 victories with 37 defeats.
In 2008, Drexler decided to devote more time to his family. Therefore, he got a job as an assistant coach at the Denver Nuggets. Today, Clyde is successfully engaged in commenting, serving the matches of his native club Houston Rockets.
Player stats
Player statistics are as follows:
- participation in matches - 1086;
- points scored during a career - 22195 (an average of 20.4 per game);
- interceptions - 2207 (about 2 per match);
- rebounds - 6677 (6.1 per game);
- block shots - 719 (0.7 during the match);
- Assists - 6125 (an average of 5.6 per game).
Clyde Drexler: personal life
The famous basketball player is the father of four children, three of them from his current wife Geynell, with whom the player has been married since 1988. Clyde's sisters and brother are the owners of a chain of catering establishments in Houston. Among them, the special attention of the public is attracted to the 22 Bar grill restaurant, which is named after the number that Drexler wore on his T-shirt during performances in the NBA.
Interesting Facts
After completing a professional career, Clyde decided to try himself as an actor. He repeatedly took part in individual episodes of a number of American comedy series. Shooting in the sitcom “Married ... with Children” brought particular success to the newly made artist.
In 2007, Clyde Drexler was invited to the popular television show "Dancing with the Stars." Here the partner of the former basketball player became the Russian champion in ballroom dancing Elena Grinenko. The pair managed to win only 8th position among 11 pairs.
It is noteworthy that during performances in the NBA, Drexler did not have a higher education. The once successful basketball player admitted this to the public after the completion of his professional career. Clyde became an official specialist in the field of financial management only in 2001, having graduated in absentia during university coaching.
Today, the American basketball legend lives with his family in the suburbs of Houston, where he has a large mansion, golf courses and, in his own words, everything that is required for a happy life.