Former teammates of Kevin Duckworth bid him farewell during a tearful tribute on Saturday, according to Oregonian.

There were tributes from teammates, eye-watering tales from friends and family, a proclamation from the mayor, and moving video presentations during a public memorial service.

"He left this world a better place," said former teammate Terry Porter. "He left the Blazers' community a better place."

"People talk about Clyde Drexler being the best player on the team, but I say it was Kevin Duckworth," former teammate Buck Williams said about the Blazers' teams of the late 1980s and early 1990s. "If he played well, we knew we were going to win. He was the X factor . . . the glue that (held) the team together. It's time to cheer for a Goliath of a man. He did so much for the community, he made you so proud."