PORTLAND, Ore. — Drew Eubanks, a standout at Oregon State and prep star at Reynolds High School in Troutdale who also played 100 games over two seasons with the Portland Trail Blazers, agreed Monday to a two-year deal worth $10 million with the Utah Jazz, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
Eubanks, 27, played last season with the Phoenix Suns. He averaged 5.1 points and 4.3 rebounds in a reserve role. He'll likely be a backup center in Utah, too, behind starter Walker Kessler.
Near the end of the 2021-22 season, the Blazers signed Eubanks, "The Shaq of Troutdale," to four 10-day contracts as the team closed out a challenging season. Eubanks was a bright spot down the stretch, averaging 14.5 points and 8.5 rebounds as he started every game at center over the final 22 games of the season. He re-signed with Portland that offseason and played 78 games for the Blazers in 2022-23, mostly in a reserve role, averaging 6.6 points, 5.4 rebounds and a career-high 1.3 blocks per game.
Eubanks was the top-ranked prep player in the state of Oregon at Reynolds High School when he chose Oregon State over Oregon, Cal, Gonzaga and other schools. Eubanks averaged 11.7 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.7 blocks in three seasons with the Beavers.
The 6-foot-9, 245-pound big man declared for the 2018 NBA draft after his junior season but went undrafted. He signed as an undrafted free agent with the Spurs, where he played four seasons before he was traded to the Toronto Raptors and waived at the trade deadline in February, leading to his signing with Portland.
In 2020, when he was still with the Spurs, Eubanks teamed up with the brand Portland Gear and their Heart for Oregon fundraiser, helping those affected by the Oregon wildfires.
