OK let's talk about it Roy VS Drexler Who was the better player

Something tells me this has been brought up before. Even if it has I'll revisit it.
I'll probably not get any rep for this as Drexler is most Blazer fans favorite Blazer.
Here's my assessment from examining both of their entire careers closely.

Iso Offense Roy>>Drexler (Drex was a slasher not an Iso guy)
Ballhandling Roy>>>Drexler (Drex = no left hand. Why Roy is better at Iso)
Mid range Jumper Roy>>>Drexler (drexler's jumper got better but still)
3 point range Roy>>>Drexler (this one's easy)
On the Ball Defense Roy>Drexler (when Roy wanted to he was solid defender before the knee injuries)
Off Ball Defense Drexler>>>Roy (Drex avg'd 2 stls per game for his career)
Leadership Roy>>>Drexler (Without Porter we would have no leader)
Half court Offense Roy>>>Drexler (obvious)
Transition Offense Drexler>>>Roy (obvious)
Athletcism Drexler>>>>Roy (roy had 40 inch vert but never really used it)
Work Ethic Roy>>Drexler (Drex has been reported to be a lazy practice player)
Killer Instinct Roy>>>>Drexler (there is absolutely no debate on this)

In my conclusion I would rather have Roy than Drexler. Imagine Roy with Porter at PG. Porter RAN that team and IMHO was the major reason for our success (Drex leading scorer but IMHO did not have the BBIQ that Porter had).

And now I will await the I've just awakened!

 

This. Thanks for starting the thread, dviss. I look forward to more responses.

 

Clyde Drexler.

Give Brandon Clyde's knees and see where he lands

 

Drexler started on All-Star team right? It certainly wasn't Mitch Richmond. The last Blazer to be voted in by fans.

 

Roy was a notch above Drexler in the half court game. They are on the other hand, a world apart in terms of the fast break game. Drexler was one of the best of all time, not only and finishing the break but in finding the open man. He was a better passer than Roy, whose passing skills were always over-rated. Drexler actually created easy opportunities for his teammates.

Drexler was also better in every facet of defense. Not sure why you have Roy ahead of him in Iso? Roy was a liability on defense, whereas it was a strength for Clyde.

And what makes you say Roy had "leadership". He never even lead the Blazers out of the 1st round. And who really gives a fuck how a player practiced.

 

Roy never made it to his prime. And had he not been injured Who knows what he could have become. Drexler had a LONG career basketball wise. Bottom line Roy was a more skilled player.

 

But we're not comparing Drexler to who Roy might've become, are we? If Roy was more skilled, how come Drexler scored more, rebounded more, assisted more, and had more steals? Oh and his FG% was better.

 

And Drexler having a longer career should matter when deciding who your favorite Blazer is.

 

It's hard to give it to Roy because Roy had a short career, and that is what we are talking about right? Careers??? Now if your going to say Roy is better than Drexler then why can't we say Lillard is better than Porter?

 

I don't disagree with you from this standpoint. Roy was the more fundamentally sound player. Had he had decent knees, the limitations we saw from him on the court wouldn't have been apparent and visible. Decent knees would have allowed for more athleticism in his overall game and in the end that would have made more potent as a player. If he had decent knees and was able to put in a good ten to 15 years more than likely we would have been saying that he was the better player.

The bottom line is, as it sits, Clyde Drexler is the greater player. And how quickly some of us forget how great he was.

 

I wonder if the reason Roy had so few dunks was because he knew he had to ration his knees for a longer career. We all know he was capable of a good one every now and then, but it seemed like he dunked only five times a year.

 

It's very obvious a few posters here never got to see Clyde play much.

 

In Iso I meant iso offense mainly. I addressed on and off the ball defense. I already gave Drex his props in that area so I'm not sure why you need to make that point.

Now about Roy's D. Roy shut down Carmelo in the post In the clutch when we went on that 13 game win streak. He shut Joe Johnson in the clutch on that same run. Roy had better OTB defense than Drexler while drexler was FAR better off the ball. Roy's D BECAME a liability after his knees gave out but he was always a very solid on the ball defender. Drexler however was not and I'm not sure why you believe he was. You are hating on Roy's passing when he averaged 4.7 ast for his career. With season highs of 5.8 per.

If you think Drexler was a leader you are fooling yourself. Porter was the brains of that team and we are LUCKY he never got hurt.

 

This is exactly why I started this thread. I wanted there to be some genuine debate on who was the more skilled player. Roy was more skilled and Drexler was FAAAAR more athletic and faster than Roy. Roy shot WAY more jumpers than Drexler and that is why his FG% was lower. Drex was at the rim slashing and on the fast break dunking. My main point was that Roy was the more fundamentally sound player (on both sides of the ball). But It is true that Drexler put up the better numbers due to athleticism and play style. I would also argue that Roy had a better BBIQ than Drexler too.

I don't want you all to think I didn't love Drexler. He was my 2nd Favorite (I played PG so I tried to BE Tim Hardaway) player of all time. I love Drexler. I HATED when we traded him away for Otis fuckin Thorpe.... :facepalm:

 

That is a fair argument. I think Drexler rebounded and had more steals because he was bigger, longer and more athletic than Roy. I'm not sure how much boxing out I saw him do tbh so I won't downgrade Drexler in that area. As for Roy's assists vs Drexler's, if you look at my list above again I'm realizing I neglected to grade that area.

I don't know what you're talking about. I've seen and been to MANY Blazer Games. I've been a die hard fan since the 85-86' season. I was 9. They didn't come on cable then remember? I saw and went to many blazer games in the late 80s up to today. In my lifetime (I'm 36) I'll say I've averaged at least 10 games per season. I saw lots of Drexler. I know his game.

Edit: I went to Clyde Drexler Basketball Camp in 7th and 8th grade at Benson HS too! He talked about free throw shooting and Isaiah Thoma's airball free throw in the finals (remember that?).

I know bout' some Drex and am really simply saying Roy was more fundamentally sound.

 

Exactly - had Drexler's career not completely overlapped with Jordan's, he'd be so much more highly thought of. He was amazing on the court.