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Former Blazers Center Joel Przybilla Retires

Przybilla, who retired to his home in the Milwaukee area, spent parts of eight seasons with the Blazers.

Elsa

Charley Walters of the Pioneer Press reported yesterday that long-time Blazer Joel Przybilla has officially retired from the NBA.

Przybilla came to Portland as a free agent after four underwhelming seasons in Milwaukee and Atlanta, then slowly built a reputation as a center who took care of the "dirty work" inside. He was rewarded with a 5 year, $32 million contract. Despite injury troubles in his first few seasons, he became a durable part of Portland's rotation, and "Plan B" when #1 pick Greg Oden went down with injuries. Unfortunately Joel also went down, with a tear of the patella tendon in 2010, and a re-injury in the shower in March.

In the final year of his contract, Przybilla was traded with Dante Cunningham to the Charlotte Bobcats (now Hornets) for Gerald Wallace. A few seasons later, Wallace was traded for the rights to the draft pick that became Damian Lillard. Przybilla returned to Portland for a short stint off the bench in the 2011-12 season.

The Blazers posted a highlight video this afternoon in honor of his retirement.

Feel free to discuss some of your memories of Joel's time in Portland in the comments.

-- Tim (with a hat tip to squeeky, who posted it in the Fanshots)