The Portland Trail Blazers retired #36 to honor Lloyd Neal, one of the original Trail Blazers who laid the groundwork for everything that followed. Selected in the second round of the 1972 NBA Draft, Neal was a center and power forward who gave Portland reliable interior play across seven seasons from 1972 to 1979, appearing in 509 games. He averaged double figures in points during his prime years, but it was his rebounding, screen-setting, and post defense that earned lasting respect from teammates and coaches. Though injuries limited his availability during the 1976–77 championship run, his name is on the title roster, a permanent part of the most celebrated moment in franchise history. Portland retired #36 because, without players like Neal holding things together in the lean years, there would have been no foundation for the 1977 championship.
The Career
Lloyd Neal is the kind of player a franchise builds its foundation on, even if his name does not appear in highlight reels decades later. Selected by Portland in the second round of the 1972 NBA Draft, Neal became one of the original Trail Blazers — a big man who showed up every night and did the unglamorous work that winning basketball requires.
Neal was a center and power forward who gave Portland reliable interior play across seven seasons from 1972 to 1979. He averaged double figures in points during his prime years, but it was his rebounding, screen-setting, and post defense that earned him lasting respect from teammates and coaches. In the early years of the franchise, when losses were common and patience was required, Neal anchored the front court with professionalism and consistency.
Across 509 games in Portland, Neal embodied what it meant to be an original Trail Blazer: committed to the city, committed to the team, and willing to sacrifice individual recognition for collective success. He was not chasing accolades. He was building a franchise.
The Moment
His most meaningful season came in 1976–77. Though injuries limited his availability during the championship run, Neal was part of the team that ended the season with a parade through the streets of Portland. His name is on the championship roster, a permanent part of the most celebrated moment in Trail Blazers history.
The Legacy
Portland retired #36 as a tribute to one of the men who laid the groundwork for everything that followed. Without players like Lloyd Neal holding things together in the lean years, there would have been no foundation for the 1977 championship to be built upon.
