Blazernation will certainly be mourning the passing of this gentle giant.

When you think of those teams from the early 90s with names like Terry Porter, Buck Williams, Clyde Drexler and Jerome Kersey, Duckworth will always be apart of that Blazer legacy.

Truly a sad day for all Blazer fans.

I work with Greg Smith (former Blazer early 70's) and he said this morning Kevin had a family history of heart problems/deaths in the 40's. He was a big tall man that today was going to do what he liked...teach BB to kids!

I am so freaked by the news. He was here at our station (KTIL in Tillamook) yesterday for an interview. We had a great time with him, he was making plans to go fish with my old man later this fall. He did the bball camp at the YMCA with about 100 kids I heard. He left Tillamook, went south and died. I am so thankful that I got to meet him. A very sad day indeed.

I've met Duck many times and he was a very nice and humble person. A sad day for Portland for sure.

Kevin was a good basketball player, but an even better man. He selflessly gave back because much was given to him. This is a very sad day in Rip City.

Nice little tribute to Duckworth on the Blazers home page:

http://www.nba.com/blazers/duckworth.html

I didn't live in the area during his playing years but still followed the team enough to know he was a solid piece of the team's foundation, both as a player, and also of character during that team's great runs in the early 90's.

How did he die????

Wow. I'm stunned. Nice guy. I had a lot of respect for him.

Kevin Duckworth is one of the nicest guys I ever met. The last time I saw him in photos he looked like he had gained a LOT of weight. I'm wondering if he had a heart attack? This was so sudden and so unexpected!
I always rememnber seeing Kevin Duckworth walking his little daughter at Beaverton Mall a few years back. He is so tall, you knew without seeing his face that he was some sort of athlete.

This is a very sad day indeed! 44 is way too young to die.

Man, I still can't get over it. An unusual loss for words here for me.

Justin,
Kevin never married, but had a stillborn son with his girlfriend about 8 years ago.

Can still remember the magical Pick and rolls, Duck and terry porter would run time after time, that no team could stop

That Blazer seasons with Buck, Terry, Clyde, Duckworth., kersey was so Awesome! That team will be remembered forever.

Its too bad the last few seasons of the blazers have been tainted with "Dirt Bag" players.

Don:

Why on earth do you feel the need to post that information? Pointless and disrespectful.

I believe he has two daughters with his fiance'.

Fortunately the days of the "Jail Blazers" are in the past and the organization has done a tremendous job in filling the roster with guys pretty easy to root for. Unlike Bob Twit'sitt, Kevin Pritchard knows what he's doing and has righted the ship pretty well.

Tests apparently show that Duckworth died of an enlarged heart.

Wow, sad sad loss for the community.

And dono - you're right. Paul Allen made some dunderhead moves in order to try and buy a championship about a decade ago, including keeping Trader Bob around, but with the promotion of Kevin Pritchard, Nate McMillan leading the young guys and teaching them, and the franchise not only drafting good young players (with a bit of luck with Greg Oden anyways) and more important, drafting good PEOPLE that are community minded ... this is once again a franchise that Portland can embrace.

Kevin Duckworth can rest in peace knowing that he was doing great charity work for the community he loved, for a franchise that is once again showing that it is willing to give back.

Geez Don, what is with you? Kevin Duckworth has a lifetime free lunch pass for Walker Elementary School. May you get that lucky in life.

A sad loss for Portland, and anyone that love's the Trail Blazers. One from another generation. Although I never met him, he seems like a guy who actually played Basketball for the love of the game, not for the love of money. Well that was the past and everyone knows that those come few and far between anymore.

Just my two cents.

Glory Days.