PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — The Atomic Dog is back in the house.
Audie Norris, who picked up the Atomic Dog nickname while playing for the Blazers between 1982-1985, is back in Portland for Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals.
He now lives in Barcelona, Spain, where he played after his NBA career. He won 3 European League championships.
When he stopped by the KOIN 6 News studios Monday, he said it’s true — once a Blazer, always a Blazer.
“It’s always been a family organization, the Blazers, from what I remember,” Norris said. “A lot of players echo that same sentiment today.”
Norris is an NBA ambassador and holds basketball clinics in Europe, Africa and China. He’s also bringing the Big 3 NBA League to China for a tour later this year.
He was dubbed the Atomic Dog by Mychal Thompson — the father of Golden State’s Klay Thompson — when they both played in Portland. He picked up that nickname based on his ferocious inside play.
