Meyers Leonard, First Round 2012 NBA Draft Pick, Portland Trail Blazers

Meyers Leonard
First Round, 11th Pick
National Basketball Association
Year 2012 Draft


Seven foot, one and one-quarter inch, 245 pounds, Meyers Leonard, a native of Robinson, Illinois, population 7,000, was the 11th first round pick of the Portland Trailblazers in the 2012 NBA draft. Only 1 in 5,000 high school basketball players make it to the NBA; of the more than 3,000 college basketball players, only 60 are drafted. Meyers discussed his Robinson family and high school teammates, his positive relationship with Elle Bielfeldt, the average NBA "career length" of 4.71 years, and his pre-tax compensation of approximately $1.8 million, post-tax, $900,000. His biggest thrill in sports was "…winning state my senior year," as predicted by his 5th grade basketball coach. He completed 3 academic years and 2 chronological years at the University of Illinois College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

The Portland Trail Blazers is owned and controlled by Paul Allen, Microsoft co-founder. The Trail Blazers has featured 6 Hall of Fame players - Scottie Pippen, Bill Walton, Clyde Drexler, Lenny Wilkens, Drazen Petrovic and Arvydas Sabonsi.