Filed under: Trail Blazers, NBA Draft
CHICAGO -- In the summer of 2008, a letter arrived at the Chicago office of LaRue Martin. He opened it and was stunned by what he read.
It was a typical day when Martin opened the envelope sent by former Portland Trail Blazers owner Larry Weinberg and dated July 19, 2008. Weinberg had heard how Martin had turned his life around.
"You certainly are a wonderful role model in the work you are doing for UPS,'' Weinberg wrote.
Martin felt a great sense of relief. For years, he believed he had let down the Trail Blazers by not living up to expectations, and here was the former owner lauding him for his work later in life.
"I was shocked to death,'' Martin, 60, said of getting the letter. "(Weinberg wrote), 'LaRue, I'm very proud of you and what you've turned out to be. Basketball maybe was up and down for you but look at you.' He said, 'I'm very proud to be associated with you.'''
After 36 years, redemption had arrived.
In 1972, Martin had been taken out of Chicago's Loyola University with the No. 1 pick in the draft by Portland. But the 6-foot-11 center would go down as the biggest bust in NBA draft history.
In four seasons, Martin averaged a mere 5.3 points and 4.6 rebounds before being waived out of the league, his career done at 26. The years after were hard as Martin struggled to come to terms with his unsuccessful playing career. He had gotten an ulcer and became an alcoholic.
Eventually, though, Martin became a success in another walk of life. For the past 25 years, he's worked for UPS, the last 15 as community services manager of the Illinois district.
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