http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3553879

Kevin Duckworth, a two-time NBA All-Star who spent the majority of his 12 NBA seasons as the Portland Trail Blazers' center, has died. He was 44.

Duckworth died Monday in Kernville, Ore., near the coastal town of Lincoln City. His death was confirmed by the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office. Duckworth was in town as part of a Trail Blazers group hosting a free kids basketball clinic, Fox 12 reported on its Web site.

The cause of his death was not released Tuesday morning.

The 7-foot Duckworth started at center when the Trail Blazers won Western Conference titles in 1990 and '92. He played in the NBA All-Star Game in 1989 and '91.

TrueHoop's Henry Abbott will always remember Kevin Duckworth for his starring role in the most exciting basketball game Abbott has seen in person.

He spent 1986-93 with Portland and also played for Washington, Milwaukee and the Los Angeles Clippers.

Duckworth's last season in the league, 1996-97, was spent with the Clippers. He played his college basketball at Eastern Illinois. A second-round draft pick of the San Antonio Spurs in 1986, Duckworth was named the NBA's Most Improved Player in his second year in the league.

8/26/2008 12:03:58 PM

RIP

Duck was like 7'0" 350 lbs...one of the first big big men

back when the Blazers were rolling with Clyde the Glide, Buck Williams, Terry Porter, etc

[Edited on August 26, 2008 at 12:08 PM. Reason : .]

8/26/2008 12:08:07 PM

yeah man...i was always a fan of Duckworth
that was back in the day when the trailblazers were actually pretty good and not thugged out like the jailblazers to follow.

hope this new squad for portland will get them back to being a quality team and i would love for Nate to do great things with them

8/26/2008 12:19:34 PM

you mean Nate "Gold Medal" McMillan?

8/26/2008 12:23:42 PM

Damn. RIP.

We will never truly know the answer to, "How much is a Duckworth?"

8/26/2008 1:02:05 PM

quack quack quack Mr. Duckworth

8/26/2008 1:11:55 PM

aaaaaaaaaahahahhahahaha "jailblazers"

8/26/2008 1:20:45 PM

gone off dat drank

8/26/2008 3:07:59 PM

I loved those Blazer teams. Jerome Kersey was one of my favorite players as a kid.

8/26/2008 7:21:54 PM