Lillard, the benchmark of loyalty to a team

Lillard was selected by the Trail Blazers with the sixth pick in the 2012 NBA Draft and since then he has only worn that jersey in the best basketball league in the world. Since his debut season, in which he played all 82 regular season games, Lillard became a leader and an example to follow in the franchise. Not only for his leadership and scoring power, but also for the respect he always showed towards the public and the members of the community.

Damian was born in Oakland, studied in Utah and has lived in Portland since 2012. All within a relatively short distance on the West Coast of the United States. Some of his family members visit him frequently. Others decided to move directly to be close to the star who guides them. The Blazers point guard organizes annual campuses for the city’s youth. Since his arrival, he has also invested in the Respect program that works with high school students in three areas of Portland: McDaniel, Parkrose and Roosevelt. Lillard won the monthly NBA Cares Community Assist award in three different seasons, a mark of his ongoing commitment to those around him.

On December 19, 2022, Lillard surpassed the 18,040 points that the legendary Clyde Drexler had converted with Portland and took over the record for leading scorer in team history. That mark had stood for 27 years, but Dame had set it as one of his goals. And when he aims, he doesn’t miss. “When they think of the Blazers, I want them to think of me,” Lillard said after that accomplishment.

A week later, at the Moda Center, his home, Lillard received a well-deserved tribute with a standing ovation from the crowd and surrounded by all his loved ones. Even though Damian plays with the number 0, the T-shirt worn by his children had the phrase “My dad is #1”. Nothing could be truer.

Every season when Lillard dreams that building a team to be champions with Portland can be solid, here come the trades of his best teammates to tear it all down and have the obligation to start over. LaMarcus Aldridge and CJ McCollum are the top examples of key players that Damian has seen leave for other horizons. Will Jerami Grant be next? At this point, the Blazers point guard has resigned himself. He will play with whomever he has next to him, but always for the Blazers. In fact, in 2022 he extended his contract with Portland until 2026.

The trend set by LeBron James when he left Cleveland Cavaliers for Miami Heat to play with his friends Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, forming the trio that would go for and win the championship ring, spread throughout the league. Kevin Durant left the Oklahoma City Thunder for the Golden State Warriors to play with Stephen Curry and rise to the top. Then, KD himself left for Brooklyn Nets and was the key piece of the trio with James Harden and Kyrie Irving that failed miserably. And so, there are plenty of examples. Lillard was once tempted by Kawhi Leonard to join him in the Los Angeles Clippers, also by LeBron to join the Los Angeles Lakers and other offers to which Damian always said the same thing: no.

Doesn’t Lillard want to be NBA champion? Of course he does, but not at any price. He wants to achieve it with the Blazers. Will Dame’s time come one day? Only destiny and the ball have the answer.

OTHER STARS, THE SAME PATH?

Stephen Curry not only shares Lillard’s knack for shooting, with a good percentage of success, from near the half-court logo. He has also been loyal to the team that opened the NBA doors for him. Steph began his love affair with the Golden State Warriors in the 2009-2010 campaign and he’s still going strong. Curry won four championship rings alongside Klay Thompson and Draymond Green, a trio that was formed from draft picks such as Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginóbili at the San Antonio Spurs. Both Curry and Thompson suffered serious injury problems, but on none of those occasions did the members of this trio, with Steph as the standard-bearer, decide to look the other way.

Giannis Antetokounmpo began his journey with Milwaukee Bucks in 2013. His growth was gradual, but steady. When he was already one of the stars of the NBA, the offers appeared to him with more force than his attacks to the hoop. However, the Greek decided to stay with the Bucks, where he first conquered individual glory with two regular season MVP awards (2019 and 2020) and then was crowned champion in 2021.