Sidney Wicks
A dominant college star who translated his power and skill into a brilliant NBA start, becoming the fiery heart of the Portland Trail Blazers in the 1970s.
Born 1949 (age 77)·American basketball player·Birthday: September 19·Baby Boomers
Biography
Sidney Wicks arrived at UCLA under the shadow of the Lew Alcindor dynasty, but he quickly carved out his own legacy. A versatile and intense 6'8" forward, he was the engine of two national championship teams, playing with a ferocity that made him a fan favorite. Drafted second overall by the Portland Trail Blazers, he immediately became the franchise cornerstone, winning Rookie of the Year honors with a blend of scoring, rebounding, and defensive grit. For several seasons, Wicks was the face of the Blazers, a four-time All-Star whose powerful dunks and competitive fire defined the team in the pre-Walton era. His career, though it wound down with other teams, is remembered for its explosive beginning and the promise of a superstar who helped put Portland on the NBA map.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Sidney was born in 1949, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Sidney Was Born
The biggest hits of 1949
#1 Movie
Samson and Delilah
Best Picture
All the King's Men
#1 TV Show
Texaco Star Theatre
Sidney's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1949Born
NATO founded; Mao proclaims the People's Republic of China
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Riders in the Sky" — Vaughn MonroeBest Picture: All the King's Men
1954Started school
Brown v. Board of Education desegregates US schools
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $8,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Little Things Mean a Lot" — Kitty KallenBest Picture: On the Waterfront
1962Became a teenager
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1965Could drive
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1967Could vote
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1970Turned 21
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1979Turned 30
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1989Turned 40
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1999Turned 50
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2009Turned 60
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2019Turned 70
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 77 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won two NCAA championships at UCLA (1970, 1971) under coach John Wooden.
- Named the NBA Rookie of the Year in 1972 after averaging 24.5 points and 11.5 rebounds per game.
- Selected as an NBA All-Star four consecutive times from 1972 to 1975.
- Averaged a double-double for his first six seasons in the NBA.
Did You Know?
He was a key member of the 1970 UCLA team that won the title after Alcindor's graduation, proving the program's continued dominance.
Wicks wore jersey number 20 for the Portland Trail Blazers.
He was known for his distinctive mutton chop sideburns during his playing days.
After his NBA career, he played a final professional season for Libertas Livorno in Italy.
“I played with a ferocity that let everyone know I was the engine of the team.”
