Chris Dudley, the journeyman NBA center and historically bad free-throw shooter, is set for a second run at Governor in Oregon.
The 6ft11 former Portland Trail Blazers star pledged to ‘stand tall’ for Oregonians in his campaign-launch clip on YouTube.
‘The empty promises, the name calling, the finger pointing and fear mongering that has solved nothing must stop,’ Dudley said in announcing his campaign this week. ‘There are real solutions, and I have a plan.’
Dudley faces an uphill battle in left-leaning Oregon, where he hopes to become the state’s first Republican Governor since Victor Atiyeh from 1979 until 1987. However, he did come within two points of beating Democratic candidate John Kitzhaber for the job in 2010, so there is some hope for his latest campaign at age 60.
Sportsbooks area already gearing up for his run by asking gamblers if Dudley’s share of the primary vote will be higher or lower than his dismal 45.8 career free-throw percentage. Currently BetOnline has Dudley’s free-throw percentage as a -170 favorite, meaning a $170 winning bet would pay $100. The underdog is Dudley’s share of the GOP primary at +130, meaning a $100 winning wager would pay out $130.
If Dudley does win the primary, he will square off with incumbent Tina Kotek in the general election. BetOnline lists Dudley as a +2000 longshot to become Oregon’s next governor.
Chris Dudley, the journeyman NBA center and historically bad free-throw shooter, is set for a second run at Governor in Oregon, where he once played for the Portland Trail Blazers
The 6ft11 Dudley previously ran for governor in Oregon back in 2010, but fell just short
Although he was a strong rebounder, Dudley famously struggled at the line, famously missing a record 13 straight free throws as a member of the New Jersey Nets in 1990.
He was also on the receiving end of a notoriously disrespectful dunk from Los Angeles Lakers center Shaquille O’Neal in 1999. Playing for the New York at the time, Dudley was backed down under the basket by the larger O’Neal, who threw down a powerful two-handed slam as he more or less landed on the Knicks center’s shoulders.
A furious Dudley reacted by throwing the ball at O’Neal, who was already running down the court for the next defensive possession.
‘You know why I did that?’ O’Neal asked current Lakers head coach JJ Reddick during a 2024 podcast. ‘Because I thought it was disrespectful they didn’t double [team] me.
‘When you don’t double me, I take it as a sign of disrespect.’
Orlando Magic center Shaquille O’Neal backs down the Portland Trail Blazers’ Chris Dudley
Dudley tries to wrap up O’Neal in the post during a 2000 game between the Lakers and Suns
Dudley did enjoy a long NBA career.
After being drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the fourth round of the 1987 NBA Draft, he was traded to New Jersey, signed by Portland, dealt to New York, and ultimately sent to Phoenix before a final stint with the Blazers in 2001-02.
He earned just shy of $40 million in the league, according to Basketball Reference.
The Yale product was college buddies with Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh – a relationship that resurfaced during the latter’s contentious US Senate confirmation hearings in 2018 when it was revealed they were accused of starting a Connecticut bar fight in 1985. Dudley was specifically accused of throwing a beer that hit another man in the ear but denied the allegation at the time.
The father of three founded the Chris Dudley Foundation with his wife, Chris, in 1994 to support children with Type 1 Diabetes – something that he has battled for decades.
