Oregon basketball fans have had the opportunity to cheer and watch the greatness of the man called “Mighty Mouse” for decades.
Damon Stoudamire (born September 3, 1973) comes from a family of Portland basketball royalty and led high school, college and professional teams while setting the standard for longevity and durability.
You think Damon looked small running an NBA offense? He was even a smaller wonder leading the Wilson Trojans to a 74-4 record and two state championships. His family guided him through his early days in basketball, particularly his beloved grandmother Wanda.
The recruiting battle for Damon was fierce, both the Ducks and Beavers thought they had a shot and the night before signing day, the smart money was on Oregon. But Stoudamire and his family left everyone guessing wrong. He chose Arizona where he was a perfect fit to run Lute Olson’s offense.
Damon showed his stuff at the next level, leading the Cats to the 1994 final four in his junior year. His pairing with Khalid Reeves made for an unstoppable backcourt. As a senior, he shared PAC-10 player of the year honors and was consensus 1st team All-America.
The little guard showed his versatility as both a floor general and a scorer, setting the Arizona record for 3-pt field goals.
Damon was the first draft choice of the expansion Toronto Raptors in 1995 and immediately took charge of the new franchise, winning Rookie of the Year honors. The threes kept on raining down north of the border. Stoudamire knocked down a record 133 shots from beyond the arc.
Damon came home to the Rose City mid-season in 1998 and immediately took charge of the offense here. Even after losing his starting spot in 2001, he proved to be a key player in the playoffs.
In his final year with the Trail Blazers, Damon exploded for a career-high and Blazers record 54 points at New Orleans, including 8 3point baskets.
As a free agent, Stoudamire signed with Memphis where he would rally from a knee injury to again lead his team.
In a 13-season career, Stoudamire averaged 33 minutes per game and started all 82 regular season games twice for the Blazers. He scored over 11,000 points, dished out more than 5,000 assists and shot over 35% from 3point range. The Trail Blazers made the playoffs all six seasons Damon finished with the team.
Damon went straight into the coaching ranks following his playing career and has been a successful recruiter, bench coach and head coach since 2009.