Former Blazer Kersey dies at 52

Jerome Kersey, who spent most of his 17-season NBA career with the Portland Trail Blazers, died Wednesday at age 52, the team announced.

His death was sudden and unexpected, according to the Oregonian, though the cause was not announced. On Tuesday night, Kersey appeared with other former Blazers at a Black History Month event at Portland’s Madison High School, according to the newspaper.

Kersey, a 6-foot-7 small forward, helped the Trail Blazers reach the NBA Finals in 1990 and 1992 on teams that included future Hall of Famer Clyde Drexler. He won an NBA championship as a reserve with the San Antonio Spurs in 1999.

A second-round draft pick in 1984 out of Longwood University, Kersey played for the Trail Blazers (1984-95), the Golden State Warriors (1995-96), the Los Angeles Lakers (1996-97), the Seattle SuperSonics (1997-98), the Spurs (1998-2000) and the Milwaukee Bucks (2000-01).

Over 1,153 career NBA games, he averaged 10.3 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.9 assists. His best season was 1987-88, when he gave the Trail Blazers 19.2 points and 8.3 rebounds per game.

Kersey ranks 47th on the NBA’s career list for steals with 1,439 and 52nd on in offensive rebounds with 2,330, according to basketball-reference.com. He also is well-represented on the Blazers’ lists of statistical leaders.