The Oregonian McMINNVILLE -- Sam Clancy isn't the same player he was three years ago, before a career-threatening knee injury knocked him out of the NBA. He says he is better. And now, the 2002 Pacific-10 Conference player of the year from USC is ready to prove it to the Trail Blazers. Clancy will have a shot to make the Blazers as a backup power forward after the team made him its only training camp invitee by signing him Tuesday to a one-year, non-guaranteed contract. Clancy (6-foot-7, 240 pounds) joins a Blazers team that has only one power forward, Zach Randolph, but one that also already has its allotment of 15 guaranteed contracts. "He really has an uphill battle, but if he absolutely blew us away we would have to consider either making a trade or finding a way," general manager John Nash said. "I don't want to rule out any chance he has, but the numbers are against him." To Clancy, it's not important how much of a chance he has, just as long as he has a chance. "Hey, I'm looking at it as an opportunity," said Clancy, 25. "The only other guy at my position is Zach Randolph, and I think you can always use a big body and a guy who can do some dirty work." After earning the top award in the Pac-10 in 2002, Clancy was a second-round pick by Philadelphia, but he never played as he rehabilitated a severe left knee injury. Since then, he has played in Venezuela, Greece and Spain as well as two stints in the Continental Basketball Association. Source
Id love to see him playing for the Blazers.Some Sixers fans had high hopes for him when he was drafted but after the injury he wasn't the same and he got released.I belive last year he was in GSW training camp and he didn't make it,now that there's only Zach at PF for Blazers he'll hopefully make it.
