In response to the sudden and shocking news of the death of popular former Trail Blazer Kevin Duckworth, teammates, friends and fans talked about the Duck and what he meant to them.

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Kevin Duckworth

"It's sad, you know," said teammate Jerome Kersey. "Fourty-four years old. You often hear about people dying young, but not in your family."

Bill Shonely, the long-time voice of the Trail Blazers, said: "All the fans, all the people in the state of Oregon wherever, he wants to hug 'em all. And I can feel that hug myself right now."

"Off the court, he was a great ambassador for this organization," said Blazers President Larry Miller. "He loved this organization, he loved being part of this family."

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