Lloyd Neal is one of the most talented Tennessee basketball players to ever enter the NBA. Neal grew up in Talbotton, Georgia, and began his basketball career as a junior at Ruth Carter High School.
In his senior year, he averaged 38 points and 20 rebounds per game. It’s no surprise, Neal considered several scholarship offers before choosing Tennessee State University in Nashville.
During college, Neal became the fourth leading scorer in TSU history with 2,244 points. He ended his career with the second highest scoring average at 24.1 points per game and was the all-time leading rebounder with 1667 for a career 17.9 average per game. The TSU Tigers compiled a remarkable 95-25 won-lost record during 1969-1972 when Neal played. He led his team to the NCAA playoffs for three straight years, in 1970, 1971, 1972. He made the NCAA All-Tournament team and was named an AP All-American in 1971 and in 1972.
In 1972, Lloyd Neal was drafted into the NBA by the Portland Trail Blazers. In his first year, he earned NBA All-Rookie Team honors and was runner-up to Bob McAdoo for Rookie of the Year. He stepped in as Portland’s starting center in his very first professional season and went up against much bigger foes such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain, Nate Thurmond, Walt Bellamy and Bob Lanier.
In that rookie season, he averaged 13.4 points and 11.8 rebounds (the best ever by a Portland first-year player) while starting 81 of 82 games. Lloyd Neal was a member of the Portland Trail Blazers 1977 World Championship team. He also holds the Blazers’ all-time season rebounding record of 967. Before retiring in 1979 due to injuries, he had averaged 11.1 points and 7.7 rebounds in 435 games played.
His number, 36, was the first number ever retired by the Trail Blazer organization. After his NBA retirement, Lloyd launched a long career with the Internal Revenue Service. He has worked in their Portland office for the past 21 years.