Former Eastern and Portland Trail Blazer center Kevin Duckworth died Monday evening in Gleneden Beach, Ore., at the age of 44.

Duckworth was in Gleneden Beach to host a free basketball clinic sponsored by the Trail Blazers when he died in the small, coastal town on the Pacific.

According to a report provided by the Lincoln County sheriff’s office, medical personnel responded to the Salishan Lodge in Gleneden Beach at 9:53 p.m. Monday to a report of a 44-year-old male not breathing. The Lincoln County sheriff’s department identified the male as Duckworth and pronounced him dead at the scene.

A preliminary investigation by the sheriff’s department found no signs of foul play, but the investigation is being continued by the medical examiner’s office.

Don Kojich, who was the acting sports information director at Eastern during Duckworth’s senior season, said Duckworth was not just a talented basketball player and Mid-Continent Conference star.

“Being a 7-footer wandering around Charleston, he was very recognizable,” Kojich said. “He was extremely down to earth and humble. Very laid back. Very appreciative.”

Dave Kidwell, Eastern assistant athletic director for special projects, said Duckworth was popular on campus.

“He was a gentle giant at almost 7-feet tall, but he was very easy going and everyone he met warmed up to him which is why he was so well received,” Kidwell said.

Duckworth played for the Panthers from 1983-86.

He led Eastern to the 1984-85 Mid-Continent Conference Tournament Championship and was the 1986 MCC Tournament Most Valuable Player.

He finished second in career games for Eastern, is Eastern’s career rebounding leader (867) and is sixth in Eastern career scoring with 1,589 points.

Former Eastern men’s basketball coach Rick Samuels said he was stunned when he learned of Duckworth’s death.

“He’s family,” Samuels said. “He was like a son. Kevin was a very likeable person. I think everybody at Eastern Illinois liked Kevin. I had BSWs tell me how much they liked Kevin.”

Samuels said Duckworth, who was recruited in the Panthers’ second season at Division I basketball, legitimized Eastern as a Division I team. He said Duckworth came to Eastern unsure of himself and paranoid of his size, but he overcame that and become proud of what he could do.

Kojich, who is now the associate vice president for marketing and communications at Illinois, said he got a sense of pride every time he saw Duckworth play in an NBA game.

And Kojich was also one of the people responsible for getting Duckworth noticed by the NBA.

Kojich said it was difficult to get Duckworth exposure on a national level because the Panthers still played in the Mid-Continent Conference, despite having a good basketball team.

Kojich said Samuels talked about NBA scouts coming to see Duckworth play so the two decided to try and get him some exposure.

“We sent out packets to different media outlets around the country,” Kojich said. “(Duckworth) was named by CBS, at that time I think, the most underrated player in the country. CBS actually came to Lantz (Arena) and did a spot before the NCAA basketball tournament started.”

Samuels said some NBA teams were afraid of Duckworth’s size.

He said his job was to convince those teams with fears that Duckworth was big and athletic – not overweight.

That effort to get exposure led up to the 1986 NBA Draft where Kojich and his staff struggled to get a television with cable access into Lantz Arena to have a draft party. Kojich said several media outlets, including local television networks and the Chicago Tribune, conducted interviews with Duckworth when he was selected by the San Antonio Spurs in the second round (before being traded to Portland).

Duckworth started at center for the Trail Blazers in the late 1980s and early 1990s and was a Western Conference All-Star in 1989 and 1991.

“Today is an extremely sad day for the Trail Blazers family,” team president Larry Miller said in a statement. “Kevin will be remembered by fans as one of the most popular and recognizable players to ever wear the Blazers uniform, but to people who knew him, he’ll be remembered as one of the warmest and biggest-hearted.”

Duckworth also played for Washington, Milwaukee and the Los Angeles Clippers before retiring from the NBA in 1997 after 11 seasons. He returned to Portland, Ore., after his retirement and is survived by his mother and sister.

Samuels said he spoke with Duckworth’s family and that they were unsure when funeral arrangements would be made but that the funeral could take place next week in the Chicagoland area.

Both Kojich and Kidwell said they gradually lost touch with Duckworth after he left Eastern.

“He did not have too much recent communication with the university since he moved to the West Coast,” Kidwell said. “His number was retired a few years ago and overtime kind of lost touch.”

“We are deeply saddened by the loss of one of Eastern Illinois’ basketball legends,” Eastern athletic director Barbara Burke said in an official release on Tuesday morning. “Our thoughts and prayers go out to the entire Duckworth family.”

The Eastern’s men’s basketball team will pay tribute to Duckworth during the 2008-09 season by wearing a mark on their jerseys.

A tribute page on the Portland Trail Blazers Web site where fans can pay tribute to Duckworth.

-Assistant Sports Editor Dan

Cusack contributed to this report. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Scott Richey can be reached at 581-7944 or at srrichey@eiu.edu.

Gov. Rod Blagojevich signed the Campus Security Act Enhancement Act Friday that makes Illinois the first state to require all universities to plan and practice responses to emergencies.

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Former Eastern and Portland Trail Blazer center Kevin Duckworth died Monday evening in Gleneden Beach, Ore., at the age of 44. Duckworth played for the Panthers from 1983-86 and led the the Panthers to the 1984-85 Mid-Continent Conference Tournament Champ

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