PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - The Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday introduced former Nike executive Larry Miller as their new team president.

Miller has spent the past 10 years at Nike, and most recently served as vice president and general manager of basketball, responsible for the shoe and apparel maker's global basketball business.

"For me, what I'd like to do is see this city fall in love again with the Portland Trail Blazers," Miller said.

Rod Leiweke, chief executive of Vulcan Sports, had been serving as interim president after the Blazers decided not to renew Steve Patterson's contract.

Vulcan Sports oversees both the Trail Blazers and Seattle Seahawks, owned by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen.

"Larry is a pre-eminent figure in the basketball industry and one of the most widely respected sports professionals in the country, and importantly has been a longtime member of the Portland community," Allen said.

Patterson, who was president and general manager, abruptly resigned on Feb. 28 after Allen refused to renew his contract.

The move came as part of an ongoing process to recapture "Rip City" and Portland's fervor for its team.

In recent years, the franchise has been burdened with a high payroll and a sullied reputation from a chain of player arrests and bad behavior. Fans turned away from the once-beloved team that won the NBA championship in 1977.

It got so bad that Allen said the team was hemorrhaging money, and he would likely be forced to sell it.

But in the past 12 months there has been an almost total transformation. Allen reacquired the Rose Garden, which he lost control of in 2004 after the company that ran it declared bankruptcy.

Then the Blazers pulled off six moves as part of their 2006 draft, acquiring rookies Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge. Roy went on to be named Rookie of the Year.

The Blazers won this year's the draft lottery, acquiring the No. 1 pick for the June 28 draft.

"If you compare this organization from a year ago to today, it's like 180 degrees different. Maybe more than 180 degrees," Allen said.

Miller said he'd like to build on that success.

"I think what has happened over the last 12 months is laying the foundation for this franchise to reach incredible heights," he said.

Before he joined Beaverton, Ore.-based Nike, the 57-year-old Miller was president of apparel maker Jantzen, based in Portland.

"I know that the things that I learned and the things I experienced at Nike will help me bring this organization back to where it needs to be," Miller said. 

(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)