When the American Basketball Association folded in 1976, Dave Twardzik crossed over to the NBA as part of the Portland Trail Blazers. He was not a big name. He was not a lottery pick. He was a 6-foot point guard from Old Dominion who played the game with uncommon intelligence and an iron will to compete.
What Twardzik brought to Portland was exactly what Jack Ramsay needed: a floor general who understood pace, protected the ball, and made his teammates better. In an era before assist statistics were glamorized, Twardzik's value was felt more than it was counted. The Blazers moved the ball, found the open man, and played connected team basketball — and Twardzik was the engine at the controls.
The 1976–77 championship run crystallized everything Twardzik represented. Through a grueling Western Conference playoff against the Denver Nuggets and then the Finals against the Philadelphia 76ers, Twardzik was a steadying presence at the point. His ability to handle ball pressure, run the offense in half-court sets, and defend opposing guards made him an indispensable piece of Portland's system.
Off the court, Twardzik endured one of the most dramatic off-seasons in franchise history. Before the 1975–76 season, he was shot in a robbery attempt, suffering a serious leg wound that would have ended lesser careers. He came back, earned his starting role, and won a championship. That resilience defined him as a player and as a person.
Portland retired #13 to honor a man who embodied the character of that 1977 team: unselfish, resourceful, and built for the moment. Dave Twardzik may not have been the loudest voice in the room, but the 1977 Blazers could not have won without him.
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